Your Imperfection: A Madara Uchiha Love Story
by HiddenXEmotion
Summary: As Leader of the Hyuga Clan, Azumi Hyuga takes care of her family. She does a good job until a certain man comes in. With Madara Uchiha now there, what will be more important? Her family or learning and dire secret that could change, and ruin, everything?
1. Prologue

**I OWN NOTHING FROM THIS STORY! AZUMI IS MY ONLY CHARACTER(FOR NOW) AND I HOLD NO CLAIM TO THE ONES THAT YOU KNOW FROM THE STORY LINE.**

Your Imperfection

A Madara Uchiha Love story

Azumi Hyuga knew that she was different. She just didn't know why. Until her anger got the best of her.

As Leader of the Hyuga Clan she has to lead and take care of her family. She does a good job of it until a certain man comes along into her life. With Madara Uchiha now there, what will be more important? Her family or the man that she loves?

Have you ever heard the story of the Ten-Tailed Beast? The tale that says the Sage of Six Paths defeated the Beast and became the first Jinchuriki? Such foolishness. You don't truly believe that a human could defeat and suck in the power of such a strong being, do you? No one can truly control the Ten Tailed Beast; not even Madara Uchiha.  
>The Story you have all been told is such a lie, used to keep you all from the truth. But I refuse to let you be blinded and led down that foolish path any longer. Let me tell you the true story of the Ten-Tailed Beast…And what has become of her…<p> 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Battle

"Hashirama, are you sure about this?" A voice spoke up as the three figures overlooked the field. The energy of the enemy could be felt just past the field. They were all waiting for the signal to begin.

Hashirama Senju sighed at his brother. "Unfortunately, Tobirama. It is sad that we must always fight with the Uchiha Clan, but we must.

The third figure let out a laugh. "You could always come forth with a peace treaty, Hashi." The woman called him the nickname she had given him.

The brothers glanced at her. She was Azumi Hyuga, Head of the Hyuga Clan that had joined with them 5 years ago. Their friendship was deep, their power strong, giving their team the name 'The Hashi-Tobi-Zumi Squad'.

Azumi was the youngest of the three at the age of 22 with short black hair, barely past her ears and barely colored eyes. She was dressed in silver armor that her niece had painted a dragon on just the day before. Black pants and a long sleeved shirt added to her outfit as well as the large spear in her right hand.

"And just what makes you think that the Uchiha Clan would agree to peace with us?" Tobirama asked her.

Azumi gazed at her two friend and partners.

Tobirama wore blue armor like hers; his hair was white and shaggy with red eyes and red streaks under his eyes and on his chin.

Hashirama was the eldest of all three of them with long black hair, brown eyes, and dark tan skin. He was in black clothes and red armor with a matching headband on his forehead.

Azumi grinned. "I don't know that they would," She truthfully answered. "But aren't you tired of fighting them like this? Think of all the lives and families you could save if you just try to have peace with them." She placed a hand on her hip, pulling a straight face. "We have talked about this before, Hashirama.  
>She reminded him.<p>

"Indeed we have." The man nodded. "But it will have to wait until later to be repeated," He patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, Azumi; you're not the only one tired of fighting." He turned and walked back to the rest of their group.

Azumi sighed and gazed out over the field again to the other woods facing them. They were there; waiting.

It was almost time.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you Azumi." Tobirama gave his friend a swift kiss on the cheek before turning to follow his brother.

Azumi scowled and wiped her cheek before following him with a smirk. "Please. It'll be me protecting you, Tobirama. Just like always. Wait and see."

They had been hired by Ibune Doku to fight for the land between the two forests, but the other man that wanted it, Dyren Miku, heard that the Senju Clan had been hired and he instantly hired the Uchiha Clan. It happened the same way every time. Azumi was growing tired with it, and was willing to do anything to get it to stop.

Was that so wrong on her? Some of their men enjoyed fighting. It's like their life. Why does life have to be so harsh like this? Azumi didn't know, but she knew that peace wouldn't be coming any time soon, so matter what she did.

"The enemy is just across the plain," Hashirama was saying to his men when his partners joined him. "We will beat them just like last time." Stay safe and strong and be ready for the victory."

There was a roar of agreement and Hashirama turned to his brother and friend. "Are you ready?"

Tobirama nodded while she responded. "Unfortunately."

Hashirama nodded and turned to lead the way. Azumi and Tobirama followed him at a run and the rest were right behind then. Firing up her Byakugan, Azumi jumped up into the trees, the members on her Clan following her, watching the enemies on the other side as they came through the trees as well. She could see the Chakra of the enemy as their ninja thought an aerial attack would be the best way to go. A surprised.

They were wrong.

Everything now seemed to be going slow for Azumi. Down below she watched as the Senju brothers were first to come into contact with the enemy, Hashirama with his wood jutsus and Tobirama with his water ones before both whipped out their swords. She watched as the enemy ninja jumped out of the trees across the way in confidence that soon turned to surprise as they were countered by their side.

She twirled her spear above her head as she flew through the air before ramming it's blade into the other ninja's stomach, attacking more on their way toward the ground.

Azumi may not like fighting like this, but she lost herself in the rush. She thought about their families and tried her hardest to just knock them all out cold, but with some of them she didn't have any other choice. She had to be wary of Jutsus from both sides as well, especially Hashirama wood style.

Hashirama's wood jutsu was both good and bad. Good when she would attack chakra points on her enemies and then dodge behind the wood in the ground, but bad when she would have to resort to using her staff but couldn't because she was in a small space.

Clear of enemies for a moment, Azumi glanced over and saw Tobirama being circled. She glared and out her hands together.

"Destructive mountain fist!" She shouted, slamming her hands down into the ground.

Her chakra seeped into the ground as she stood there, and watched several fists made of the ground beneath the enemies feet, balled up and knocked them away from Tobirama. Tobirama gave Azumi a nod of thanks which she returned before continuing on with the battle.

The battle raged on. Moans and screams rang in Azumi's ears as she tried her hardest to close off all sounds. She didn't want to continue doing this. She had to stop but what would happen if she did? What would happen if she just left. Would she be branded a traitor and imprisoned? Killed? She wasn't sure, she wasn't afraid, but she just couldn't take it. She had never liked fighting; she only learned Taijustsu and Ninjustu and Genjutsu because her parents made her. She was the head of the Hyuga Clan, she had to fight. But slaughtering others like this was just too much. This had to stop, and someone had to be the first to stop.

Azumi stopped her spear inches from the young ninja's throat. She sighed and pulled away. "Go home," She told the young teen at her feet. "And if you're smart, you won't ever do this again." She turned her back to him and smirked sadly at the sound of him running away before walking away herself.

Why was life so full of violence?

"Running away, are we?"

Azumi turned back and faced the man behind her. The man was tall with long, spiky, waist-length black hair with a blue tint. He was dressed in black with red armor and a sword at his belt. His left hand was on his hip and his eyes were black and red as well, glaring down at her. The man was cute, and he resembled Hashirama a bit, but Azumi recognized those eyes. She had seen them before.

This man was an Uchiha.

"I'm done fighting for the night," Azumi closed her eyes and turned to walk away again, but she was stopped when the man appeared in her way.

"Well, I'm afraid that I'm not." His cold voice told her.

She back up from him. "I told you I am done. I'm not going to kill another person tonight."

"I suppose that you'll be dying yourself, then!"

His sword was unsheathed so fast that Azumi barely had time to lift her spear in defense, resulting in a thin cut appearing on her left cheek. She scowled and wiped the blood away, leaving her cheek as if nothing had happened. The man smirked and attacked again, but Azumi was ready and blocked them all.

"I had heard that the new Hyuga Clan leader had some strange powers. I take it that I've met her."

"Damn straight," She growled at the man, forcing him back with a kick to the stomach before chasing after him. "And I'm not going to let you forget it, either!" He crashed into a tree, knocking it over. She paused in front of the fallen form. "I tried to tell you, Uchiha," She spat. "But you didn't listen."

The man began to laugh before jumping back up to continue the fight. Azumi smirked and opened her mouth too say something when pain shattered through her back. She glanced behind her. The young teen that she had let escape had returned. And with a sword and an evil grin.

She was caught off guard when a second sword pierced through her stomach, and she turned back to the other Uchiha. He also held an evil grin, though his was more sinister.

"I told you that you would be dying." He whispered to her.

As the man pulled away, Azumi fell to the side, her heartbeat slowing down in her ears.

~Is…is this really the end?~

**Madara Uchiha watched the woman fall before shaking his head.** She wasn't worthy enough to be a Clan Leader, let alone worthy enough to face him. Where was the challenge that he longed for?

"Azumi! No!" The shout made Madara glance up, and smile.

"Ahh, just the brothers that I was looking for," He glanced down at the woman at his feet again before back to the Senju brothers. "She wasn't too bad at the beginning, but hardly." Madara continued to smirk as he kicked her leg and took a few steps forward. "Shall we finally finish this once and for all, Hashirama?"

Hashirama grabbed hold of his brother to keep him from rushing at the grinning Uchiha. "Settle down, Tobirama."

"Settle down? How can I settle down? He just-" Tobirama couldn't bring himself to say it.

Madara threw his head back and laughed as the battle continued around the three of them. "Yes, settle down. You wouldn't want to end up like her now, would you?"

"You bastard!" The younger Senju was able to break free from the elder's grip and he ran at the Uchiha.

Madara continued to snicker as their battle began, but he found this one more of a bore than the one against the Hyuga. Tobirama was blinded by rage. Did that woman really mean that much?

Madara landed a kick in the Senju's face, making him fly away. He went to rush after him to finish him off, but something stopped him.

An immense chakra was forming. So immense that Madara felt as if his skin was burning. The power made all the other ninja left halt in their own fighting as the ground started to shake. Madara whipped around and his eyes widened in surprise.

~Impossible~

Azumi Hyuga was pushing herself to her feet. Madara watched as chakra appeared around in, strangely, the shape of tails. There were two of them in fact and the power of them…unbelievable.

"Oh no," He heard Tobirama groan and watched as the woman pulled both the swords from her body. He blinked, trying to believe what he was seeing, and when he opened his eyes a gasp caught in his throat.

Azumi was now in his face, but she was different now. Her eyes were a dark red with black slits. Her teeth were now pointed. Her fingers turned into claws. There seemed to be markings on her face. Almost like whiskers. And her entire body…seemed to be glowing.

Madara could only get a brief look before she upper-cutted him, sending him flying into the air. Taken by surprise he tried to block her attacks but she was too fast and she sent him higher. Each hit felt like he was getting his with a boulder and his spine…he hoped that it wouldn't break.

He lost count of how many hits he received until he opened his eyes and gazed up when they stopped. There she was, a horrid, evil smile on her face while she gripped her hands together over her head. Madara tried to block it but she was just too fast, her final blowing knocking what was left of the little air he held in his lungs and sent him crashing down to the ground. From this height there was no way that he was going to be able to survive, and there was nothing that he could do as he struggled to breath. It seemed that every hit she had dealt to him and sucked his chakra away.

Madara closed his eyes, awaiting his fate, when he found himself in a pair of arms.

"Now, Hashirama!"

Madara opened his eyes. ~Tobirama?~

"Wood Style!" He heard the elder Senju cry and watched as the female figure was caged inside wood.

Madara was expecting her to roar and try to break free but she just stood there, staring at him with that same look on her face. Not anyone else; just him.

The Senju brother set Madara to his feet and two more Uchihas moved forward and gave him support.

"You should leave, Madara," Hashirama faced the beaten man.

Madara glared at the Senju before glancing at the woman in the cage that was still sinisterly grinning at him. He scoffed. "You've won this one, Senju."

The Senju brothers sighed as the enemy retreated before turning to their own men. "We won, but the celebrating will have to wait for tomorrow, as will the burying of her comrades. Go home. Rest. Heal." He told them, before sighing again as it was just him, his brother, and the woman in the cage that was now crouching over, holding her head. "Are you okay, now?" He called out to her.

Azumi groaned. The power of the chakra and the glowing and the tails were gone now. "Oh, Do I look okay?" She growled, letting out another groan.

"My apologies, Azumi." As soon as the wooden cage had disappeared, Tobirama caught the woman as she passed out.

"Memory erasing again, huh?" He asked his oldest brother.

"Yes. There's just one problem." Hashirama told him.

Tobirama looked confused. "What?"

"Madara and the Uchihas."


	3. Chapter 2

**I OWN NOTHING FROM THIS STORY! AZUMI IS MY ONLY CHARACTER(FOR NOW) AND I HOLD NO CLAIM TO THE ONES THAT YOU KNOW FROM THE STORY LINE.**

Chapter Two

Truce

Azumi had always been able to heal quickly. She just didn't know why. She also didn't know how they had won the battle. What happened to the man she had been fighting? Who was the man she had been fighting?

She lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling as she picked her brain. The last thing she remembered was the blades in her body and then the hazy recalling of being in the air, and then standing in a wooden cage with an immense headache before passing out and being caught. By Tobirama, most likely.

In the large battles that she gets severely wounded in, she always had strange visions like that; the cage and headache in all of them. Why? Was it something that she did? If she did them, why didn't she remember them completely? Why was she always trapped in one of Hashirama's wood cages?

It couldn't be reoccurring dreams. Not like that. They happened only when she got seriously hurt or extremely enraged and that was mainly in the large battles like this one. She didn't like to think about what it could be, but it was always in the back of her mind so she couldn't help it. Especially when she was alone.

It seemed that someone had heard her prayers for there was a knock at her door.

"You may enter." She didn't bother to sit up, knowing who it was.

"Fully healed, I see." Hashirama greeted with a smile.

Azumi sighed and pushed herself up anyway. "Of course, like always," She paused. "What happened to the man I had been fighting? What happened period?"

Hashirama took a seat next to her bed. "The Uchihas retreated. We have won yet another battle."

"I meant what happened to me!"

He gave her a soft smile. "After the wounds for the swords, you passed out and for good reason. The poison on that blade was quite dangerous. If Tobirama hadn't grabbed you and brought you back to your sister when he had you would have been a goner for sure, with or without your ability to quickly heal."

Azumi sighed. She knew that there wasn't any poison. But why was she being lied to? "So we won, huh? How many were left when it was over?" She referred to their army.

"Well over half, I assure you."

"And that guy I had been fighting? He's still alive, isn't he?"

Hashirama nodded. "Yes. Why?"

She gave him a sly glance. "Because he only won due to that cheating bastard who stabbed me in the back. Next time, I'm gonna kill him! What was his name?"

Hashirama couldn't help but chuckle. "That was-"

"Azumi! You're awake!" Tobirama burst into the room with a young child on his shoulders. "You had us worried there for a second."

"Yeah!" The young girl on his shoulders cried. "Wurried, Auntie Azi! Wurried!"

Azumi grinned at the child. "You really don't think that those bad guys could be me, did you?"

"No, not you, Auntie Azi! Auntie Azi's the best! No one can beat you! Not even Daddy or Uncie Tobi!"

The brothers laughed. "Go get Mother to get you something to eat." Hashirama told his daughter. She jumped from Tobirama's shoulders and ran out the room, laughing.

"Adorable!" Azumi said in a sing-song voice. "I can't wait for my own!"

The Senju brothers laughed again. "You're only 22, Azumi. You have all the time in the world."

The woman sniggered. "Yeah, 60 more years is really all in the world."

"With that attitude," Tobirama decided to tease. "You'll only be around for 40!" He was hit in the face with one of Azumi's pillows.

"All right, you two." Hashirama chuckled. "We actually came to give you an announcement but seeming as how you're feeling better, we'll give it to you tonight with the rest of the others."

He was hit with her other pillow.

"What are you talking about? You can't do that!"

"Sorry, Azumi," Hashirama grinned. "You're just going to have to wait."

"Oh, you buttheads!" She cried, crossing her arms angrily.

"Buttheads?" That seemed to make the brothers laugh even harder. "Wow. We haven't been called that since we were what, 12?"

"More like 8."

"Yeah, laugh it up you two," She scowled.

"You can wait a few more hours can't you, Azumi?" Hashirama smiled.

"Do I have a choice in the matter?"

"Not really," Tobirama answered.

"Then I suppose I have to. What time?"

"6. It's just three hours. You can handle that."

The brothers left the room and Azumi fell back. She forgot that she had thrown her pillows at them and her head fell into contact with the wall.

"Ahh!" She cried, instantly cradling her head as she sat back up. "Why me? Always me," She sighed, turning to the window.

~No use staying in bed now, right?~

"**I still don't think that you should be walking around yet. Especially with a child on your back. Even if she is your Godchild." **

"And I told you that I feel fine, Mito. You shouldn't worry about me." Azumi smiled, bouncing the young child on her back.

Mito Uzamaki grinned and shook her head. "You're just like your sister. Never NOT moving."

Mito was 5'6' with blond hair and blue eyes. She was wearing an elaborate orange kimono with a tiara in her hair that she had tied in buns with a small diamond mark on her forehead.

Azumi chuckled. "But that's why you all love and need me. It wouldn't be the same without me."

Mito's smile faltered but she quickly regained it. But not fast enough. Azumi saw it, accompanied by the sad, guilty look in her eyes. Azumi was able to put it all together.

Mito knew something, just like her husband and her brother-in-law.

But why? Why were they hiding it from her?

"Come on, let's go." Mito smiled. "The others are waiting."

It wasn't a large party, only 20-30 talking and eating and drinking. Azumi waltzed around the room talking to everyone about everything. It was about an hour later when the Senju brothers brought silence through the room.

"Congratulation for this victory is in order. I thank you all for the strength and support you have all given us." Cheers were strung throughout the room. "Yes," Hashirama continued. "And we have decided upon our next course of action. You should all thank Miss Azumi Hyuga back there for she is the one who put this in my mind." All heads turned to look at the blushing woman in the back who was still carrying Hashirama's daughter on her back as she stood next to Mito, her own sister, and her own niece.

"We have decided," Tobirama continued for his brother. "To offer a truce with the Uchihas."

Azumi's mouth fell open as gazes traveled between her and the Senju brothers, shouts following them.

"What are you talking about?"

"A truce with the Uchihas?"

"That's like being at death's door!"

"They would betray us!"

"They'll never agree!"

Hashirama held up a hand and silence fell. "My friends, war is not the answer. Our peace with the Uchihas will set an example. Death should not continue anywhere. Are you all not tired of the fear of death for families and yourselves? Azumi, my brother, and I all are. If the Uchihas don't agree to the truce then there's nothing that we can do, but we can say that we tried."

The crowd looked unsure still so Azumi took a step forward. "Don't worry. If the Uchiha even think about betraying us it will be the last thing they ever do. I'll make sure of that."

"**God! Did you set me up or what?"** Azumi growled at the Senju brothers later that evening. Everyone but them, Mito and her children left. Azumi's sister had done left with her daughter while Mito played with hers.

Hashirama smiled. "Sorry about that, Azumi."

Tobirama smiled too. "Yeah, sorry. Surprise."

Azumi blushed and looked away, crossing her arms. She had had a crush on both the Senju brothers since they had met, but she just didn't see it working out with either of them. So instead, she had hooked Hashirama with Mito about 4 years ago and cha-ching, their first child came out 9 months later. Tobirama, though, was still a work in progress.

"Well, when it's something that important let me know before you throw me to the wolves, Hashi." She sighed and scratched her head. "So how are we going to do this, exactly? I'm sure we would get attacked the moment the Uchihas see us, so should we send a letter or something?"

Tobirama grinned again. "One step ahead of ya. We sent one earlier this afternoon explaining our offer and asking for a meeting. We're just waiting for an answer, now."

"Well, I'm not going to let the two of you go meet them alone. I'll be going, too." She told them.

"We know." Tobirama continued.

"What do you mean 'you know'?" Her eyes narrowed.

Hashirama answered this time with a smirk. "We're been partners for 5 years, Azumi. We know what you want, so we beat you to it."

"Oh really. You know what I'm going to do, huh?" She growled as she crossed her arms again.

The brothers shared an uneasy look.

**It had been almost a week since the previous battle. **Azumi had been fully healed and was now enduring a conversation with the Hyuga elders. Their talk was driving her insane.

"Hashirama and his brother have gone too far," An elder woman was saying. "A letter of truce to the Uchihas? Preposterous. The Uchihas are our enemies!"

Azumi sighed. "Why?" She asked. "Why are we fighting with them, though?"

"Have you ever heard of the story of the Sage of Six Paths?" An elder man asked her.

"The Sage of Six Paths?" Azumi asked. "What does he have to do with this?"

She had heard of him before. The Sage had been the one that started the whole Ninja World, being the man who founded the Ninjutsu. He was also the one who defeated the Ten-Tailed Beast and became the first Jinchuriki…according to legend, anyway.

Jinchurikis. Azumi found that all to be full of crap. There was no true beast locked within anyone.

"Long ago, the Sage of Sixth Paths clarified Shinobi creed and attempted World Peace…his end came before he could fulfill his dream. The Sage bequeathed his will and teachings to his two children," The Elder woman explained. "The older son had been born with the Sage's Eyes…granting him Chakra powers and mental energy…he knew strength was necessary for peace."

"The younger son," Another continued. "Had been born with the Sage's body…granted with stamina and physical energy…and he knew love was necessary for peace. On his deathbed, the Sage chose a single successor…a decision that created the eternal curse of hatred."

"Let me guess," Azumi scratched her head. "He chose the younger son."

"Indeed. The Sage chose not the older brother who sought strength, but the younger brother who sought love, as his worthy heir. The older brother, having thought himself the logical first born, could not accept his father's decision…and out of inconsolable rage, declared war on his younger brother."

"And even as time passed and blood ties thinned, the descendants of the two brothers continue to battle each other."

"Again, let me guess," Azumi glared from her seat down to the elders. "The elder brother's blood runs in the Uchihas, and the younger brother's is in the Senjus?" She scoffed. "Why does that tell us that we still have to fight the Uchihas? Why is violence to important to all of you?" She stood from her chair in anger. "It sickens me to no end. I agree with Hashirama and Tobirama! I hope that the Uchihas are willing to work for peace! All this fighting does is just bringing more pain!"

"And what will you do if the Uchihas won't work for peace?" A man asked.

She squeezed the bridge of her nose, trying to calm her heart rate down. This was giving her a headache. "I don't know. I'll come to that when we get to it. Who knows," She mumbled under her breath. "I might just wish to call forth a Jinchuriki." She covered a yawn as she left the room, unaware of the looks of fright on their faces.

"**Auntie Azi! Auntie Azi!" **Azumi glanced up from her book at Hashirama's daughter as both she and her niece came running in, holding hands. "Daddy wants you! Daddy wants you!"

"Uncie Hashi wants you! Uncie Hashi wants you!"

Trying to get the perverted thoughts out of her head, Azumi stood and set her book down. "All right. Where is he?"

"He and Uncie Tobi are out in your garden!" She couldn't help but smile at the Senju brother nicknames that the two children had taken from her. They were so cute!

"Thank you, Ladies." She smiled as she left the room. The Senju brothers were sitting on one of the benches underneath a sakura tree, a letter in Hashirama's hands. "Can I help you?" She asked.

Both of them stood with smiles. "Yes. It looks like you'll need to pack, Azumi." Tobirama grinned.

Her eyebrows rose. "And why would I need to do that?"

Hashirama lifted the letter in his hands with that smile of his. "The Uchihas have agreed to meet with us. They're sending three out to the Aikasha Hot springs and asked for us to do the same."

Azumi gave the brothers a look before laughing and wrapped both the men in a hug. "Oh, no way! Yes!" She cried. "Finally! Peace is on its way!"

Hashirama chuckled. "Perhaps. We're going to try our best."

"Well come on! Let's get going! I'll pack right now and we can leave!" She told them.

Tobirama ruffled her hair. "It's too close to nightfall. We'll be leaving in the morning. Gives you a little time to say goodbye."

Azumi frowned. "It's not like I'm leaving for good."

"You know what I mean."

She grinned. The time had come! She was getting her chance to help bring peace around the world, could she do it?

If she could help bring a truce between the Senju and the Uchiha, then she was sure that she could bring peace to the world.


	4. Chapter 3

**I OWN NOTHING FROM THIS STORY! AZUMI IS MY ONLY CHARACTER(FOR NOW) AND I HOLD NO CLAIM TO THE ONES THAT YOU KNOW FROM THE STORY LINE.**

Chapter Three

Hot Springs

"So, this is where we're supposed to meet the Uchihas?" Tobirama stood between his brother and Azumi as they stared down to the crowded Aikasha Hot Springs.

"Yep, but right now, I don't care. All I care about this second," Azumi gave a little squeal as she hurried down the hill. "Is getting in that Hot Spring!"

Hashirama chuckled. "I agree on that." He admitted as he followed her. Tobirama shrugged and joined them.

There were actually a lot of people in that small town, apparently for just the Hot Springs, seeming as how the three of them had to split the final room. Azumi couldn't wait to get in that water, but she decided to wait until later that evening when there weren't that many people there.

The meeting wouldn't happen until the next day so she had the rest of the day to herself, seeming as how the Senju brothers had already left for the male Hot Springs, refusing to wait. She had settled down in peace with her book again, losing track of the time until a knock on the door broke her concentration.

"Hey, 'Dara," The voice was soft, belonging to a young man, she could tell. "I need some help getting around, if you don't mind." Azumi set her book aside and stood up and opened the door.

The man had long black/blue hair tied in a ponytail down his back. He was dressed in a blue shirt and blue pants that were wrapped up with bandages on the ends. But his eyes, his eyes were closed.

"'Dara?" He called again, worried.

It quickly hit her. The young man was blind.

"I'm sorry, but you have the wrong room." She told him sweetly.

A faint blush crept up on his cheeks. "Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Oh, it's no problem. Did you need help with something?"

"Um, yes. I was trying to get back to my room where my brother is. I wanted to leave the springs and walk around the town but…" He sighed.

"Well," She thought quickly. "I can go out to the town with you, if that's okay. I just got here, so I wouldn't mind seeing it myself. That is, if you don't mind being with a stranger."

The man looked surprised. "You would…do that? Come with me?" He sounded surprised too. "I'm not pulling you away from something?"

She giggled. ~He's so…innocent.~ "Sure, I don't have a problem with that. I'd rather have someone to talk to since my companions are all ready in the Hot Springs. You're not pulling me away from anything, I promise."

His grin lit up his entire face. "I would love having someone to talk with, too. My name's Izuna." He slightly held out his hand.

"You can call me Azumi," She shook his hand before cradling his arm with hers. "Shall we go?"

Azumi enjoyed her time with Izuna. He was a sweet, funny, young man with high spirits for his…condition. She had no problem describing the layout of the town to him and not even the stores. She was glad that she could help him, glad that she had made him smile.

Keeping a firm grip on him as she led him through the crowds they grabbed a snack to eat as they continued to talk. (MMM! Dumplings!) The conversation had somehow found its way to Azumi's niece.

"And so, she took my sister's shirt, grabbed it with her teeth, and she and the dog started playing tug-of-war right in front of her in-laws!" Azumi giggled. "Oh, she's so adorable!"

"She sounds adorable," Izuna agreed as they entered the Inn again. "So, do you have any kids of your own?"

"Me? Nah. The elders say I should marry soon but I just haven't met the right guy, you know?"

"Oh, you're one of those 'wait for Mr. Right', eh?"

"Yeah, so what?"

He chuckled. "He'll come around, don't worry."

"I know…is there a 'Mrs.' on your side?" Azumi paused in the hall. He had told her his room number before and they were right down the hall from each other.

"No, not me. But then again, I'm not exactly searching just yet," Izuna sighed. "I have plans tomorrow morning, but maybe, in the afternoon, we can do this again. I enjoyed it. You're fun to talk to."

Azumi nodded. "Yes, it was and I enjoyed it as well," She paused to think for a moment. "Yes, after lunch. I'd like that." She grinned and placed his hand on his room's doorknob. "Have a great evening."

"You too. See you tomorrow." She watched him turn to enter the room and she noticed something on the back of his shirt that she hadn't before.  
>His hair had been in the way, but now that it wasn't, she could see it.<p>

The Uchiha Clan Symbol.

Azumi's mouth dropped open and she wanted to say something but she couldn't. Was Izuna here for the meeting?

Well, she'd find out tomorrow.

"There she is,"Tobirama was sitting in her previous chair, a book of his own in his hands. "Where have you been?"

Hashirama was sitting by the window, gazing out over the town, his ears perked to get her answer.

"Well, a young blind man came here looking for his brother so I offered to accompany him in a walk through the village. He was a sweet guy," She plopped down on the couch. "So, what's for dinner?"

The brothers smiled. "We have a buffet set up for us in a little while so all you have to do is wait."

"A buffet? Yes! I'm starving!"

In public she may act properly, but when alone and with friends she could be a little hyper.

**Azumi's heart was pounding in her ears as she tucked her hair behind them. **~Here we go!~ She thought. The three of them were standing outside the room they had to meet the Uchihas in. She was nervous, no doubt, but she had to go in. This was the first step to success and peace. This is what she wanted.

So why did she want to run away?

"Are you ready?" Hashirama asked her. Unsure if she could speak without squeaking, she nodded. He patted her shoulder and Tobirama knocked on the door.

"Enter." An elder man's voice told them.

Taking a deep breath, Azumi followed the Senju brothers in. Sitting in a chair was the elder man. A cane in his hand. He held short gray hair and black eyes as he was dressed in pale yellow robes. But it was the other man that she knew she would see.

"Good morning, Izuna." She greeted with a smile at the young man that was standing by the window.

Where was the third Uchiha?

Izuna's face looked up in surprise, his eyes were closed. "Azumi? So, you're the one that came with the Senju brothers." He sounded…sad, but gave a small smile.

"You know her, Izuna?"

Azumi froze at the voice from behind her. The three of them glanced over their shoulders at the third Uchiha that had been standing behind the door. Azumi instantly recognized him. It was the man that she had fought during the battle for the field. The one that had stabbed her. As Izuna explained everything she looked him over.

He still had his long hair but he now wore a high collared black shirt with the Clan's Crest on his upper back and blue pants with bandages at the ends. The collar of his shirt was open and not closed like the other members of his clan that she had seen before. At his waist was a bandage belt with a sack that Azumi felt held ninja tools, no doubt. But what surprised her the most was that his right arm was in a sling and he was in a brace; for his back most likely.

Azumi turned to face him fully, a hand on her hip. "You," She growled. She then smirked. "I see the brothers got you pretty good."

The man's eyes were full of hate. "The Brothers? Ha! It-"

"Madara," The name made Azumi's eyes grow wide. "We're not here for games," The elder told the young man.

Madara gave Azumi another hateful glare before shoving past the three of them and standing beside his two clan mates.

That man…the man she had fought…was Madara Uchiha. The Head of the Uchiha Clan! He was said to be the strongest, most ruthless Uchiha…ever! How was she still alive?

Over her head the Senju brothers exchanged a worried look before turning back to the Uchihas.

"I thank you for coming to meet with us," Hashirama spoke. "I am Hashirama Senju. This is my brother Tobirama and the Head of the Hyuga Clan, Azumi Hyuga."

The elderly man straightened in his seat. "I am Abiro Uchiha. This is Madara, head of the Uchiha Clan, and his brother Izuna. Forgive me for saying this, but you must understand my surprise when Madara brought your letter to me. I had not expected an offer of peace to come from you in my lifetime."

~So, this was the man that Izuna had been searching for yesterday.~ Azumi and Madara had locked glares, waiting for the other to look away. Peace or not, she wasn't going to let his stabbing her get away so easily.

"Well, I have been thinking about it for a while now, but it was Azumi here who put the final chip into play during our last battle." Hashirama replied, placing a hand on the young woman's shoulder.

At the touch, Azumi had to rip her eyes away from the man and glanced at Hashirama for a moment before glancing to Abiro. His look made her begin to feel uneasy but she kept her face straight.

"So, this was all her doing, was it?" The elder man asked. "Then let's hear the reasons from her then, shall we?"

Azumi glanced at the brothers in surprise. "My apologies, by Hashirama is the head of all this. He's the one that you should talk to about this, not me."

"Well, it's not the Senju that I asked to hear from, was it?"

The man's voice was cold and it made Azumi's eyes narrow. "Listen here, you-" Hashirama placed a hand on her shoulder. Glancing at him for a moment, she turned to face the old man again and sighed. "What is it that you want to hear?"

Abiro grinned at her remark and then cleared his throat. "I want to hear from you why you wish to come together and form a village with the Uchihas."

Azumi's heart was pounding again. She took a deep breath, refusing to look over at the sneering Madara again.

"Look, I don't care about what supposedly happened in the past between the Sage of Six Paths and his two sons. Even if the three of them were real it doesn't matter to me and it shouldn't to you. What should matter to you, as it does to me, is how many people are dying. And over what? Some stupid feud that is said to have began over 100 years ago? Look at it from the outside. Look at how many people have died because of it. How many families were hurt? Mothers and fathers lost children. Children lost parents. Husbands. Wives. Brothers. Sisters. Aunts. Uncles. Grandparents. Friends. Everyone's lost someone because we're always fighting!" She took another breath, her voice getting strong. "I don't like killing people. I try my hardest to just make them run, but if they don't I don't have any other choice. And I have to live with the thoughts of whose life I've taken. Who I took from their family! I can barely stand it, and that is why I'm behind Hashirama and Tobirama, asking to put all of this fighting between us and you to a halt. Honestly, do we really have to fight like this anymore?"

Abiro watched her for a moment, his face and eyes unreadable. Azumi felt sweat glazing the back of her neck until the elderly man began to laugh. Her eyebrows rose in confusion.

"If you wouldn't mind, I would like to talk to the Senju brothers."

Izuna was the first to move. "Let's go get something to eat, Azumi." He said with a smile as he walked towards her. "Keep the promise from yesterday. Besides, I'm starving."

Azumi glanced at Hashirama. He nodded and she smiled kindly as she gently took Izuna's arm. "Sure. What would you like to eat?"

"BBQ sounds good. Maybe some ramen. What would you like?"

The door shut and their voices retreated down the hall and both of the remaining Uchihas hard gazes turned to the Senju brothers.

"Madara has told me what happened during our previous battle, Hashirama," Abiro growled. "I would like an explanation."

"**So," Izuna smiled, eyes still closed as they sat at their table inside the BBQ shack. "You don't see me as an enemy?"**

Azumi's hand halted in lifting her chopsticks to her mouth. "What makes you ask that?"

His grin turned sad. "I am an Uchiha and you're with the Senju Brothers. We are enemies."

She scoffed as she put the food on her mouth. "That's ridiculous," She spoke around the rice and BBQ. "So many people are idiots nowadays. The only people who are my enemies are the ones who try to do me harm. You haven't, and your family was only doing their jobs in attacking us. If we come to peace then I will see you with no hate, distrust, or resentment." She swallowed. "Except for your companion, Madara." She growled.

He lifted his head in surprise. "My brother? What has he done?"

She almost choked. "Your brother? Seriously? How can someone so nice as you be related to that…jerk?"

Izuna chuckled. "I'm afraid so. He can be tough and hurtful at some points, but he can also be kind. To me, anyway," He grumbled.

Azumi giggled. "My sister calls me the mean one of the family."

He shook his head. "Now I see that practically impossible," Izuna told her. "You're the kindest woman I've met. Even within my family."

She frowned. "People are idiots. Half the time, I can't stand them." He grinned again. "You're not bad for an Uchiha, Izuna. Let's cross fingers and hope we don't have to fight anymore."

"**Izuna, let's go." **

The cold voice made Azumi look up from her friend. She scowled before quickly wiping it away. Madara was standing at the window by their table. Izuna lifted his head before standing. Madara was smirking at her.

"Thank you for a wonderful time, Azumi. I appreciate it and hope we can do it again." The young man smiled.

Azumi tried to ignore the gaze from the other Uchiha. "I hope so as well, Izuna." She replied truthfully. "Have a pleasant evening and a careful trip back to you village when you leave."

"Same to you."

The young woman glared at Madara from the corner of her eye. He continued to stand there, just staring at her with that smirk on her face for a little longer. She finally turned to say something but he was gone. Fighting to keep her anger under wraps she quickly finished eating before paying and heading back to the Hot Springs.

She didn't see Hashirama and Tobirama until later that night. When she came back in from her final trip to the Hot Springs. She didn't feel like eating and just ignored it as she went straight to Hashirama.

"Well?" She asked, hands on her hips as she began to tap her foot.

Hashirama exchanged a look with his brother before he hung his head. "I'm sorry, but-"

Azumi felt her heart shatter ass she hung her own head. "What are you sorry for? It must have been my fault. I obviously didn't say what the Uchihas wanted to hear."

Tobirama tried to cover his snicker but failed. "I'm sorry, Azumi, but it's your fault that the Uchihas have agreed to peace."

"Its not-" She froze for a moment, replaying what the white-haired man just said. It clicked. She jumped on both the brothers, hitting them. "You jerks! Do you have to do that on something as important as this?"

The Senju brothers laughed. "You did fabulous, Azumi. The elder Uchiha said that he was very impressed."

"He did, huh?" She scratched her head. "What did you all talk about after I left?"

"Nothing really. Just what you had said and where our new village was going to be." Tobirama answered.

"Ok. Where? When?" She demanded happily.

Hashirama chuckled. "We are building around the Uchihas. I told Abiro that we, meaning all of us, would be there in a week. So tomorrow we have to hurry back home to all the others and get a move on."

Azumi giggled as she enwrapped the Senju brothers in a hug. Step one, complete. Step two, making friends with the Uchihas.

And something told Azumi that that was going to be harder than anything else…

Ever.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

It Was You

It has been two months since the Senjus and the Uchihas agreed to come together and the village has been built, thanks mostly to Hashirama and his wood Jutsus and all the Uchihas that knew how to build. Everything was looking nice, too, as well as getting along.

Except for the Hyuga elders.

Azumi had to put up with their constant complaining day after day. They really, really did not like the Uchihas. And the Uchihas seemed to really not like the Hyugas, either. Every time she looked at one they didn't understand it. The only ones who didn't do that were three Uchihas.

Madara Uchiha.

Izuna Uchiha

And Abiro Uchiha.

Abiro would just stare, Madara would just smirk, and she hadn't seen Izuna since the Hot Springs. She hoped he was okay.

Today she should see him, though. The six of them would be meeting again for further discussion on the Village. Why Azumi had to be there, she didn't know, but according to Hashirama, Abiro wanted her there. She didn't like Abiro too much. The way he would stare…it was uncomfortable.

"Auntie Azi," Azumi glanced down at the young child walking beside her. "I'm tired."

"Aww, Kari, I told you to stay with Miss Mito and Mom."

"But you've been so busy lately! I miss you!"

Azumi smiled at her niece before picking her up. The girl wrapped her arms around her neck and rested her head on the older woman's shoulder. "Just get some sleep, sweetie. We can play later, okay?"

"Okay."

Azumi couldn't help but giggle as she walked towards the Uchiha homes. That's where they were supposed to be meeting. She hummed a little tune as she continued to walk, ignoring all the looks she got from the Uchihas as she passed.

Let them glare. Let them stare. She had done nothing wrong or rude.

Yet.

Kari was beginning to grow heavy on just one arm but Azumi didn't want to risk waking her u. She was glad that the house she had to reach was soon before her. Glancing up the large, three-story house, Azumi had to admit that she was envious. The Hyuga Clan home was being built now and she wasn't allowed to see it yet; thanks to the Senju brothers. They had that project under lock and key to where she wouldn't.

With a sigh, ready to get this over with, she knocked on the front door.

"It's open." A smooth voice called to her. She recognized it.

"Izuna?" She called as she walked in.

"Azumi?" She followed the surprised voice into a separate room and found the young man sitting at a table with a pot and cup of tea and a book of brail sitting before him. His face held surprise and worry. "Is something wrong?" She asked.  
>"No but, ah, what are you doing here?" He demanded.<p>

She took a step back. "Well, I was told to come here. Are Hashirama and Tobirama not here yet?"

"Here for what?" He sounded confused as he gestured for her to sit across from him.

She sat down, careful with Kari so not to wake her. "I received a letter this morning saying that I was to come here to talk to Abiro again about the village. I figured that the Senju brothers would be here as well."

Izuna shook his head. "No, Abiro's not here," He still seemed tightly tense, but he was beginning to loosen up. "But Madara's out for a moment so it's just me."

"Then it looks like someone's pulled a prank on me," She sighed before smiling at the man across from her. "So, I haven't seen you since the Hot Springs. How have you been?"

"I've been good. Tired from training with my brother. He may have had a hurt back and broken arm for a little while there but he didn't let up."

"What do you mean 'training'?" Azumi demanded. "You don't fight, do you?"

"Why? Because I'm blind?" He scoffed. "Just because I've lost me sight doesn't mean that I can't still fight. I'll have you know that the only one stranger than me is my brother."

Azumi scratched the back of her head. "So, you weren't born blind?"

"Nope."

"Do you mind…me asking how you lost your sight?"

"Well, uh, you see"

"Izuna."Both jumped at the voice and Azumi turned to the doorway and frowned. Guess who was home. "What is the Hyuga doing here?"

"Madara, don't get man," Izuna gave a small, worried smile. "She had a joke played on her so it's just an accident."

Azumi rolled her eyes. Was no one but the Uchihas allowed in their homes? That was when she noticed that his sling and back brace were gone.

"I see your back and arm have healed." She stated. Madara scoffed and turned to continue down the hall. Azumi wasn't going to take that. "To bad. I would have enjoyed watching you walk around in that brace again for another few days."

"Oh dear," Izuna sighed, drinking his tea as Madara reappeared in the doorway.

"You do not know you're place," Madara snarled. "And you're apparently don't know the truth either." He took a step forward. "And it just makes me wonder…"

"Wonder what?" She demanded, careful not to yell due to the sleeping Kari.

"Brother," Izuna spoke in a warning voice, but neither of them gave notice that they had heard him.

"Wonder just how long the Senju brothers have been keeping the secret from you." Madara grinned at the mixed look of surprise and confusion now on her face. "I find it entertaining, just watching you with the brothers, and you don't even know what they're doing to you."

"I don't know what you're talking about but I know it's ridiculous. Hashirama and Tobirama are like my brothers. They wouldn't hide anything or do anything to me," She stood to leave and turned to Izuna. "My apologies Izuna, perhaps we can get together another time."

"Just how many battles or moments have you blacked out in?" Madara's words made her freeze. "How many times have they told you that it was due to poison or a gas from the attack that caused you to pass out?" Azumi turned to face him. How did he know all of this? Did one of the Senju brothers tell him?" Face it," He took a step towards her, a grin still on his face. "I'm right and you know it. The Senju brothers have been lying to you since the beginning. It was you that beat me that night of the battle, not Hashirama and Tobirama; you! You just don't remember it because of what they did to you. It was you."

Azumi opened her mouth to respond when Kari decided to wake up. "Excuse me," Azumi shoved past the Uchiha. "I have to take my niece back home."

**Azumi threw a book at her wall. **Her room at the Inn she was staying in at the moment was ripped to shreds now. She couldn't control it but it was starting to settle down.

That man was so infuriating! And yet, he was right. She knew something had been happening and she also knew that Hashirama and Tobirama had been hiding it from her. But what, and why?

And if Madara was right about that, was he also right about who'd hurt him? Did she really do that to him? If she did why would the Senju brothers lie to her?

No. The Senju brothers would not lie to her. She trusted them. They were like her brothers, so it couldn't be true. Madara was an Uchiha. He hated the Senjus so he was trying to make her question them.

Well, it wasn't going to work. No way!

Azumi trusted Hashirama and Tobirama with all her might and soul and she was not going to believe Madara over them!

But then…

Why was there doubt still there?


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Why

Winter was well on its way. The trees were getting bare. The air freezing and crisp. The village, its name decided to be Konahagakure, Konoha, The Village Hidden in the Leaves, or just Leaf Village, complete. All that was left was to pick a leader. It had not yet been decided, though rumors going through the village had said that it was narrowed down between two people. Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju. Speaking of which…

There were two things in this world that Azumi hated more than anything. Liars and thieves. And it seemed that Mr. Madara Uchiha was both. A liar that was still trying to convince her that she was the one that had beaten the hell out of him during the battle and a thief for stealing her spear.

What did he want with her spear, anyway? Was he a weapon collector or something? Or was he just doing it to annoy her? If it was the later, he had succeeded. Immensely.

Immensely enough to where she was running through the town, yelling for him like an idiot. She ignored the others and kept her mind set on finding the Uchiha.

But it seemed that the little man was very, very good at hiding. She had checked everyplace she could think of. Except….it hit her. There was only one place that she hadn't checked and it was a place that no woman was allowed to go. Did she dare?

Oh, she dared.

Thank God that the Hot Springs were normally empty in the middle of the day.

She slipped in through the women's side and carefully peeked over the fence. Only one man was there, fully clothed and sitting on one of the large rocks there. The man she was looking for.

"Uchiha!" She growled. The man grinned as she landed in front of him as he gripped her spear. "You do know that this is the men's Hot Spring, right?"

She scowled. "You know why I'm here."

"Yes," He held her spear out and glanced at it again. "A fine weapon indeed, Hyuga."

"Give it back, Uchiha." Madara smirked at her and then tossed it to her. She caught it and her surprised look changed to suspicion. "Okay, that was too easy. What's going on?"

"Nothing. I was sent to tell you that Abiro wishes for you to join us for dinner tonight," Madara answered.

"And you stole my spear why?"

"Well, it seemed like a fun thing to do at the time. I mean, it was just sitting there in your room, after all."

An anger mark could be seen on her forehead. "Oh, you are such an annoying brat, Uchiha!" Azumi ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "What does Abiro want with me?"

Madara shrugged as he stood up. "Who knows? But just to let you know, Abiro is very…classy, so don't show up wearing your regular, ridiculous clothes. He'll consider it an insult." The man 'poofed' away.

"Ugh, Dammit Uchiha!" She growled before disappearing herself.

Azumi didn't know what to wear. She had only an hour to decide and it came down to a pink kimono of her sister's, or an orange and black one, also her sister's.

As you can tell, Azumi was not a dress-up girl.

But she had to give in, so black and orange was the winner.

She just did not do pink.

So she felt extremely awkward, standing there in front of the home she had last seen Izuna, in a kimono. Azumi hadn't worn one in years, being more comfortable in pants, but she would have to endure it.

Knocking on the door, she waited. Some Uchiha woman, who didn't look at her, opened the door and led her down the hall and into a large dining room. Madara, Izuna, Abiro, and a new, elderly woman sat at the table, waiting for her. Things fell silent as they looked up.

"Ah, Lady Hyuga," Abiro grinned. "Welcome. I'm glad you decided to come. Madara here said that you didn't look too happy about the message when he left."

"He did, did he?" Azumi looked at the young man with a twitching eyebrow before sitting down across from his younger brother. She quickly changed to a smile. "Good evening, Izuna. It's so good to see you again."

The young Uchiha nodded to her with his own smile. "It's good to be with you again as well, Azumi."

Abiro cleared his throat. "Lady Hyuga, this is Kera Uchiha, another Elder who wished to meet you."

"Hello." Azumi held her hand out to the woman, but Kera didn't even look at her. Her hand fell in surprise, but she hid it quickly, noticing Madara's eyes on her. "For what?" She finally asked.

"We'll get to that later. Come now. Let's eat." Abiro clapped his hands together and food consisting of rice and ham and rolls and even more were brought to the table.

Madara watched Azumi as they ate, his face straight and unmoving.

~This woman…~ He thought. ~No…this BEAST…this MONSTER…doesn't know anything…how sad and how…disappointing.~

"All right," Azumi finally decided to speak again as her plate turned empty. "I don't have much more time to stay here, so tell me what it is you called me for."

Abiro lowered his glass as the eating around the table paused. "Well, Kera?" He turned to the woman next to him.

The woman sighed. "There is a problem transpiring with a horde of bandits towards Sungakure, the Sand Village that is in the middle of being made. Their Leader, the Kazekage, has sent a request for help. Lord Madara and Lord Izuna here have agreed to go. The Team needs a third person. Abiro decided to request your help for this mission." Kera still avoided looking at her.

Azumi frowned. "You're sending Izuna on a mission? Forgive me saying so, but isn't that dangerous?"

Izuna reached across the table and patted her hand with a smile. "I appreciate your concern, Azumi, I truly do, but do not worry. I will be able to take care of myself."

Madara frowned at his brother as he touched Azumi. "Besides," He decided to finally speak. "I'll be there as well. I won't let any harm befall my brother." Azumi nodded but she still felt uneasy. Madara sighed. "Take your time and think about it tonight. Izuna and I shall be leaving the gates at sunrise tomorrow. Be there if you plan on going with us."

Azumi nodded, biting her lip.

**At the knocking on his door, Izuna lifted his head.** "Come in, Madara." Only his brother would visit him this late at night. Pushing himself to a sitting position, the young man turned his head towards his brother. "Is something the matter?"

Things were silent for a few moments. "I don't want you to come on this mission with me if Azumi does."

Izuna pulled surprised look. "What? But why?"

"You know why," Madara growled. "What if it loses control like it did during our previous battle? I don't want you there if it does."

Izuna smirked. "Is dear, older brother worried about me? Aww, I'm touched." He could just picture his brother's eye twitching.

"This is not something to be joking about, Izuna," Madara yelled.

"I'm not joking about anything, Madara!" Izuna replied. "I'm not an idiot, brother. I know what can happen but I don't think that it will. Azumi has a lot of self-control. I've only talked with her, but I can already tell she has a lot."

Madara scoffed. "Azumi is a beast. A monster. It has nothing but lust for power and death."

"Don't talk about her like that! Azumi is not a monster!" Izuna yelled, clenching his fists. Madara took a step back in surprise. Izuna calmed his voice down. "She acts nothing like the legends say. She's…different."

Madara shook his head. "Fine. Believe what you want to believe. If you die, it will be your own fault." He turned and left his brother's room with another shake of his head.

Izuna was wanting to protect Azumi.

Why?


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Problems

"You know, the two of you did say, 'sunrise', yes?"

Madara glared at the woman sitting on the branches of one of the trees outside the village gate. "I'm surprised that you showed up. I thought you'd be too scared."

"Please, nothing scares me. Not even you, Uchiha." She growled.

Izuna smiled and held out a hand. "I'm glad you decided to come with us, Azumi. I like spending time with you."

Jumping to the ground, Azumi grinned and took the young man's arm. "Well, I'm glad. At least one of you Uchihas doesn't despise the Hyugas. None of the others even dare to look at me."

"C'mon, let's get going," Madara interrupted them. "This isn't a pleasure journey, so don't just stand around talking."

Azumi continued to smile as their journey began. She had been extremely surprised when the request to join Madara and Izuna was given to her last night. Hell, she was surprised to have been invited to dinner with them in the first place.

When she told the Senju brothers, Azumi could tell that they both grew enraged at the thought of her going but they agreed that she should. That surprised her even more, so here she was.

It would take three days to reach Sungakure, the new Village Hidden in the Sand, so there wasn't much that they could do. Still arm in arm, Azumi and Izuna followed Madara, their talking consisting once again of Azumi's nieces and other family members. Everything was fine until night fell and the conversation came to the final Uchiha.

Madara.

"So, your brother," She didn't even bother keeping her voice down. "Does he always act like this?" She referred to the silence and anger issues.

Izuna shook his head. "Not when he was younger. Not until..." He heard Madara's teeth begin to grind and changed his answer. "Until he was named Head of the Clan. So much stress, you know?"

Azumi nodded, giving a look of pain. "Believe me, I know all about that, being a Clan Head myself." Madara snorted and she glared at him. "What? I was just agreeing." She began to grind her own teeth. What was with this guy?

"We'll rest here for the night," They were still in the woods, but in a small clearing. "The Desert's not that far away so," Madara left it off there as he sat down against a tree.

Azumi watched him for a second before sighing. "Here, sit down," Azumi placed Izuna a little bit away from his brother. "I'm going to get some firewood before we eat."

"Be careful." Izuna told her as she set her bag beside his.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. Besides," She gave a smile. "I'm not going too far off."

There was no need for her to. They were surrounded by trees. There was wood all around them. It didn't take her too long to return with an armful of twigs and branches.

Dinner was some sandwiches and fruit that Izuna had brought with him and a nice silence was settled around them, leaving Azumi to stare around the place as she sat by the fire. With nothing else there to really do she decided to stare at Madara.

He hadn't moved from the tree he was leaning against, not even to eat, making Izuna bring it to him, just staring into the fire.

Or so she thought…

"Will you stop staring at me?" Madara growled.

His voice brought Azumi out of her thoughts and she flushed. "I'm sorry," She told him as Izuna hid a smile. "I was just thinking."

"What were you thinking about that made you stare at me?" The elder Uchiha mumbled, crossing his arms.

"Your eyes," Both of the men froze, Izuna with a clear look of worry on his face. "I was thinking about that battle we had a little while ago. You possess the Sharingan." She told him.

"Yes," Madara's voice was laced with caution. "What about it?"

"What all does the Sharingan do? The Byakugan allows me to see Chakra Flows and see through objects and other things like that, but I never learned what the Sharingan could do." Izuna grinned but kept his mouth shut, listening to his brother's reply.

"What do you care?" Was Madara's answer.

"Is it against the rules of wanting to know about the Sharingan? We live in the same village now, Uchiha," She told him with a frown. "It's not going to hurt you in telling me about it."

Madara held back a scoff that now sounded like a cough as he closed his eyes. "The Sharingan has several powers. First off, it can also let us see the flow of Chakra, letting us know if the person is under Genjutsu or not."

"Okay, nothing different." Azumi was leaning forward, a large smile on her face in excitement. "Next, next!"

Madara couldn't help but give her a small smirk. "The Sharingan's second-most prominent ability grants the user an incredible clarity of perception, allowing them to easily recognize Genjutsu and different forms of chakra, though not to the same extent as your Byakugan. It does allow us to read lips or mimic something like, say, hand signs in the middle of a battle." He took a breath. "The Sharingan's also able to track fast-moving objects before finally giving some amount of predictive capabilities to the user. However, even though the user may be able to see an attack or know it is coming, their body may not have time to react."

"Talk about lucky cheaters," Azumi grinned as she stuck another cherry in her mouth. "And?"

Madara leaned forward a bit for this one, locking eyes with her. "The Sharingan's third and most well-known ability is that it grants the user the ability to memorize any technique that he or she witnesses, apart from other Kekkei Genkei techniques like your Byakugan. The user can memorize Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu with near, perfect accuracy, allowing the user to use the techniques as their own, and even more." He took a breath. "The Sharingan's final ability is capable of inducing a unique brand of hypnosis that involves suggesting actions and other things to our opponents through simple eye contact. I could talk some man into killing his entire family, friends and then himself if I wanted to."

Azumi leaned closer to him with a grin. He could see that her eyes were full of awe, as well as…teasing. "You don't have the guts to do that I'm afraid, Uchiha."

Madara leaned back again, surprised as his arms fell and his fists clenched. "What was that?" He demanded, hearing his brother's slight snickers.

"You heard me," Azumi fell back now, landing on the rolled up blanket that she had brought with them. "You may say that you can do something like that, but until you do, you just say it to look bad." She sighed, staring up at the stars. "We all do that around ones we don't like or ones we want to impress. Even me."

Madara really didn't know what to say to that. Most of the ones around him refused to even make comments back at him, let alone tease him. Izuna could, he was his brother, but Azumi? It surprised him. Especially after what he had done to her on the battlefield. One would think that she would be hateful towards him, and not teasing.

Madara didn't know what was going on, but he knew that in the future, near or far, he felt that this was going to cause problems.


	8. Chapter 7

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**This Chapter is for Yuti-Chan, MitternachtDressage, and .CriMsonLadY. for their reviews :)**

**Chapter Seven**

**Threats**

"Wow. Why can't our village look like that?"

Izuna gave a laugh at the woman holding to his arm. "I take it its impressive."

"Totally." Azumi replied with a grin. "Oh, I wish you could see it, Izuna."

Madara ignored the hit of guilt in his stomach and continued to step towards the large city surrounded by sand. "Let's hurry up and get to the Kazekage and get this done so we can go back home. I have to be back in time to be named Hokage."

"Hokage?" Azumi looked at the young man on the other side of Izuna as they walked. "What makes you think that you'll be named Hokage?"

"Please. I am the Head of the Uchihas. The strongest one in the village. Of course I'll be leader."

"Leading's not all just about being strong, Uchiha!" Azumi growled. "You should learn that. It'll help a lot in life."

Madara scoffed and continued down the path.

They were given stares and looks as they moved towards the center of the village and glares as they entered the Kazekage's tower. Azumi tried to ignore them, but they reminded her too much of the looks that she would get from the Uchihas. She understood why they were getting them though. They were being attacked by a group of bandits. She was sure that she would be pissed off and glaring at just about everybody as well, from their village or not.

The Kazekage was dressed head to foot in white, the blue Symbol on his hat and a mask covering his face. Azumi was kept between the Uchiha brothers with Izuna gripping her arm. She figured that he was nervous. She would be nervous too not being able to see anything but the moment that the older Uchiha brother slipped an arm around her waist she knew that something else was going on.

"Ahh, the Uchiha brothers. You have made good time. And I take that this is the Hyuga Clan Leader?" The Kazekage's eyes traveled her up and down. "The tales I have heard hardly do you justice."

That's when Azumi understood it. The Kazekage…was a pervert. How had the Uchiha brothers known?

"Uh," She lifted her free hand and scratched her head. "Thank you?"

"No no, thank you." He told her. "We should talk some time. I would love to learn more about the Hyuga clan. What do you say to dinner tonight?"

~Oh my god! Right off the back! What is wrong with some of these guys?~

"My apologies," Madara answered for her. "But we wish to get the problem with the bandits over with and return home. Our own Village is in the process of being made itself, you see."

"Ah yes, right down to business then." The Kazekage swirled around in his chair to gaze out his window. Madara's hand loosened its grip but didn't leave her hip. The feel of his hand there, for some reason, was making Azumi's heart flutter and a light blush crept up on her cheeks. She was thankful that Izuna couldn't see and that Madara was continuing to glare at the Kazekage. "There have been a group of Bandits that have been attacking our carriages of supplies. They beat our people there to unconsciousness and ran off with our supplies. We have too many wounded people and cannot risk losing more at a time like this. I appreciate to you agreeing to help us, Lord Uchihas, Lady Hyuga."

Izuna nodded his head. "It is no problem. We should help those in need, right brother?"

Madara closed his eyes. "Indeed." ~Yeah right~ Azumi gave the elder Uchiha a disbelieving look but he didn't seem to take notice. "What would you like for us to do?"

"We have set up another carriage of supplies to take from here to the outlook tower about a day's trail from here. They normally attack at night. I would like for you to go with the caravan and defend them and bring back the bandits."

"Bring them back?" Madara questioned. "For interrogations?"

"Yes." The Kazekage swirled back around and faced them again.

"That seems easy. Too easy." Azumi raised an eyebrow. "What's the catch?"

"Smart girl," The Kazekage grinned. "The bandits have just acquired the help of my younger brother. He took the sacred Scroll that our father had held."

"Let me guess," Azumi tapped her forehead, biting her lip in anger. "This is all a raging feud between brothers."

"Yes."

Azumi turned and left the room. This was this man's brother. Why did they have to fight over being the leader? It's ridiculous. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as she exited the building. She wasn't surprised to see Madara and Izuna already waiting on her.

"That was rather rude, Hyuga." Madara decided to speak first, arms crossed.

"Well forgive me, but I'm not going to help these two brothers fight each other. Its foolish. I mean, the two of you don't fight like that and neither do Hashirama and Tobirama."

"Other brothers can be foolish, Azi," Izuna smiled at the young woman. "Others aren't smart like we are."

"I suppose not." She muttered, kicking at the sand. She then cursed as she had to dump sand out of her shoe.

"Are you just going to let these people continue being attacked?" Madara asked her.

Azumi glared at him. "Of course not, Uchiha. What Kind of person would I be then?"

"**Okay, I understand having the disguises, but why did I have to wear a dress?"**

"Because you looked best in it."

"But…"

"Look, if either one of us wore it, we'd be given away instantly. Besides, it's safer for 'the young lady' to stay in the carriage."

"But-"

"Look, don't argue."

"But-"

"Yeah, let's just hurry up and get this over with."

"BUT I'M NOT A GIRL!" Izuna yelled at Azumi and his brother. "Why do I have to wear a dress when we actually have a girl here with us?"

"Because she wouldn't stop complaining about you getting involved in the serious battle. So, you're the bait."

"But isn't that putting me right in the middle of it?" Izuna asked.

"Yeah," Azumi giggled as they caravan began to leave the Sand Village. "I just didn't want to wear a dress." Izuna's head fell as he pulled a look. She gave him a light punch in the arm. "I'm just worried about you, Izuna. I didn't want you to travel through the sand alone. You'd get lost and that would make me more worried than this whole mission would. So, please?"

Izuna sighed and couldn't help but smile at her. "All right. But just this once, Azi."

Azumi grinned and hugged the young man. "Thank you, Iza!"

"Iza?" Madara raised an eyebrow at his brother; he blushed as Azumi responded.

"That's right. Izuna and I have given each other nicknames. Azi is me and Iza is him." She frowned at Madara. "You're still just Uchiha." She could just imagine the anger-mark on his forehead.

"Let's get this over with." Madara growled, disappearing behind the sand dunes.

Azumi giggled. "All right Izuna. The horse knows the paths so don't worry. And I'm not too far away so I'll be watching just to make sure you stay safe."

Izuna blushed. "You don't have to worry about me, Azumi."

She grinned. "Is is so wrong to want to worry about those you care about?" She leaned forward and kissed his head. "This'll be over quickly and we can go back home. It'll be Christmas soon! And then you're birthday is right around the corner! I've got plans for you!"

Azumi hurried into the sand, leaving Izuna and his blushing thoughts to himself. Now all she had to do WAS make up those plans. So that was what she was thinking about as she kept her eyes open for the bandits.

Nothing really happened until they came across a broken down carriage. Azumi paused for a moment as a few women and their children asked Izuna for some help. She watched Madara as he continued on forward, probably to look for some bandits, but she had an uneasy feeling so she decided to stay just in case. Good thing she did. Especially since the children poofed into smoke and one of the women lunged at Izuna.

Azumi jumped down quickly, knocking the bandit away from Izuna. She straightened up, spear held ready. "All right you cheap bastards! Now you've got me to deal with and not these Sand people so get ready for a world of pain!"

Izuna was surprisingly not that bad on the battle field for a blind man. He only needed her help maybe once or twice throughout the whole thing. But there still was a problem. These bandits kept coming and coming. What was there, a whole herd of them out there watching? And where the hell was Madara?

The end finally came to and Izuna, amazingly, had bound the man that was dressed differently from the others. For some reason, he seemed to be the leader and by the way he was talking, he was.

"Well well well," The man said. "It seems that that stupid old man from the Sand Village has learned. And with Byakugan, no less. I'm surprised that you decided to help. Aren't you building your own village right now?"

"And if we are?" Azumi glared at him.

"Ha. Don't get angry now, Hyuga." The man grinned. "And don't be worried about your little friend. The others are keeping him occupied. They'll all be here soon, though."

Azumi gave a laugh. "Please, Madara is the strongest of the three of us," She didn't notice Izumi's surprised smile. "And you can say that you're men will beat him when you got your butt handed to you by a blind man and a woman? That's sad," She glanced at Izumi. "No offense."

"None taken," The young man smiled at her before turning his face back to the man. "Now, can I ask why you're attacking these people? Why do you wish to halt the supplies from getting to the Outlook Tower?"

The man gave a laugh. "It was just a bit of fun." He replied snidely. "After all, it was the Kazekage's younger brother that gave us the idea for it when he brought forth some sacred Scroll."

"Speaking of which, where is the Kazekage's brother?" Izuna asked.

The man snorted. "What makes you think that I'm going to tell you?"

Azumi gave a sinister smile. "Izuna, please do me a favor. Plug your ears."

The young Uchiha gave his own smile before doing as she wished. He began to hum a little tune to keep the sounds out even more, but he could still feel the vibrations through his feet. When Azumi's hand touched his shoulder he let his hands drop and put the humming to a stop.

"All right, now talk!" Azumi ordered the man.

Izuna could hear the deep breaths their captive was taking and wondered just what she had done to him.

"All right! Fine!" He took another deep breath. "A few days ago was caught the letter that the Kazekage was sending to you for help. Rai was pissed so he and few others headed towards your village."

"For what?" Izuna's tone was serious now.

"They had been talking about kidnapping a couple of brats from the Hyugas and the Uchihas and the Senjus." Fear struck Izuna's heart as horror climbed out across Azumi's face. The man began to laugh. "By the time you get back to your Village, Rai will be gone with the children!"

Azumi gripped the man's collar and lifted him up. You'd best hope that you're wrong." Dropping the man again, Azumi made some more hand signs. Smoke puffed up and a few clones appeared. She gave them a nod and they took off flying across the sand.

~Please…get there in time~


	9. Chapter 8

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Chapter Eight**

**A Monster**

Madara had finally chosen to return to them with multiple of his own captives. When he heard what Izuna and Azumi had learned, he barely took the time to return and speak to the Kazekage before hurrying back off to their village. They didn't stop for the night like they had before and arrived back to the village quickly.

The three of them quickly split up; the Uchiha brothers going to their part of the village while Azumi headed for hers.

The sight of a crying sister and few others, Including Mito Uzamaki in the arms of her husband Hashirama, gave her the news that she didn't want.

"Azumi!" Tobi brought everyone's attention to the woman that had just arrived. "Are you-"

"How long have the children been missing?" She immediately cut him off.

Tobirama pulled a surprised look. "Since last night. I take it that this has something to do with the mission you were just on."

She nodded. "Who were taken?"

"Kari, Tsuki(not sure if that's Mito's daughters name so I just made one. Bare with me), and Dan Namikaze. Two Uchihas have been taken as well."

Azumi's heart froze. Kari and Tsuki? Her Niece and Godchild? No! Anger began to boil through her soul as she dropped her bag to the ground. Tobirama and a few others tried to say something to her but the noise was blocked off.

A hand landed on her shoulder and she turned. It was Madara. "This way," He told her before turning and rushing off.

Ignoring everything else, Azumi followed him to the forest just outside the village gates. Izuna stood there with one of Azumi's clones.

"Did you find them?" Madara asked.

"Yes," The clone nodded. "The men took the children to the caves to the West."

"Then let's go get them!" Azumi made to run off but Madara caught her shoulder. "Let go of me!"

"Calm down," The Uchiha responded. "You can't just go in there and attack them. You might harm the children. Calm down." He repeated.

~He's right. Just calm yourself. No need to be worried. We'll get the children back, no problem.~

She took a breath. "All right. What should me do?"

"Madara and Izuna were both quiet for a moment, thinking.

"There's apparently not that many, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. We have to make sure the children are safe and out of harm's way before we start fighting. Madara and I will cause a distraction and call the enemy out. You will then sneak in and get the children out, understand?" Izuna told Azumi. She nodded.

The clone led the way through the forest and disappeared when they reached the cave. After making two more, Azumi paused and started her Byakugan. Glancing towards the cave she found the five children's weak chakra and another in the back part while six more, the enemy, were towards the front. Looking at Madara she nodded her head. He nodded back, touched him brother's arm and forward the two of them ran.

Using a jutsu to cloak herself into the background, Azumi pushed herself past Madara and Izuna's fight and into the cave. There was a hole in the back that led somewhere else. Azumi put two and two together and hurried down it.

But the closer that she go to the children the she realized that something was wrong. Very wrong.

Bursting into the room, the scent of fresh blood filled her nose. Three of the children lay in a pool of blood while a man stood over the other two. It was Kari and Tsuki, gripping onto each other in fear.

Azumi immediately knocked the man away into the cave wall, leaving the two clones to grab the children.

"Auntie Azi!" Both the young girls cried.

Azumi's head began to pound. The scent of blood was getting to her. Her two clones hurried and grabbed the children and ran out of the room, leaving just her and the man that was pushing himself to his feet. Azumi bent down and scooped the three children into her arms, ignoring the blood. She felt tears swelling up in her eyes.

"How? Why? How could you do this to them? Why did you do this? They were children!" She shouted.

"Hmph." The man's voice was snide. "Then I guess that you should have stayed out of our business."

"_Would you look at that?" _Azumi glanced around, looking for the deep, male voice that she heard. _"Crying over some children, are we?" _The voice chuckled.

"Who else is there?" Azumi shouted out, glaring around.

The man raised an eyebrow. "What the hell are you talking about?" He asked.

"_Ha ha ha," _It was another voice this time; more feminine. _"No one else can hear us but you."_

"Wh-what?" Azumi's hands began to shake and her head throbbed even worse. She went to hold it, forgetting that her hands were covered in blood. She froze as it smeared across her face.

"_Let us take care of this,"_ Another male voice told her. _"Let go and let us take care of it."_

Azumi wanted to respond but she felt as if someone had placed a hand over her eyes. The image that appeared in her mind now made her scream as she lost her control and blacked out.

Madara froze. There it was again. That feeling, that power that he had felt on the night that he first came into contact with Azumi. It was weaker than it had been before, but it was still strong. Much stronger than he was at the moment.

His brother and the ones that they were fighting appeared to feel it too and they stopped fighting. Izuna pulled a surprised face.

"Madara," He began. "Is…is that…?"

"Yes." Madara felt his hands begin to shake and clenched them as the two clones that Azumi had taken with her ran out with two of the children. It didn't take too long to figure out why only two of the children were coming out of the cave and it explained that power he was feeling. "Izuna!" He called to his brother. "Get the childr-"

He was cut off when the two clones poofed into smoke, dropping the children and the side of the mountain exploded, blood splattering all over the place. While the enemies watched, the Children crawled to Madara and clutched to his legs, Izuna kept near to his brother, wondering what had just happened and Madara still gripped his fists tightly as a figure surrounded by swirling chakra exited the cave.

"Auntie Azi!" Kari called out. The young child went to run to her but Madara grabbed her arm.

"Get back to the village. Both of you." Making a clone of his own, the clone grabbed the two children and ran off. Izuna took a step closer to his brother, the look of shock on his face.

"M-Madara, what…what does she look like?"

The elder Uchiha looked at him like he was crazy and then glanced back at the woman that had frozen the Rogue ninja in their places as she paced towards them. She didn't look like she had in the battle the two of them had first met. The chakra just swirled around her, it didn't take on the shapes of tails, but he could tell that it was the same chakra. Her skin now held dark blue markings, like veins, and her eyes…the sclera was black with yellow irises while the pupils took shape of a four-pointed star with four dots around it.

He scowled. "Like a monster."

Madara got ready as Azumi slaughtered the Rogue ninja. They didn't even stand a chance against her. He continued to scowl as she licked the blood off her hands and she turned to face him and his brother.

Madara barely had time to breath before her arms were over his and his brother's shoulders, her claws digging into them.

"Hello boys." He didn't move, the male voice making him freeze. What was going on? "I take it that the two of you are the Uchiha brothers, are you not?" The voice gave a sigh. "Do us a little favor. Keep the Senju brothers away from us." The voice told them. "We're getting tired of being used like a play-thing."

"A…a play thing?" Izuna asked.

The head turned and gave the blind man a grin. "I'm sure the Senjus told your 'big brother' and the old man about us and how long they've been erasing Azumi's poor memory. They can never truly erase us from her. Infact, we were created through the erasing, believe it or not." The voice gave a sigh. "Poor Azumi. Just imagine how she'll feel when she finds out all the lies she's been fed. That little girl's not even really her niece. She doesn't even have a family. All she has… is us."

"What are you?" Madara gazed at the smiling form beside him.

It gave out another laugh. "We don't have names, just forms." The arms dropped and the body stepped forward. "Don't worry Uchihas. We'll meet again soon."

Madara felt the chakra evaporate and watched Azumi's body go limp. Izuna hurried forward and caught her, cushioning her fall. Madara didn't like the thought of his brother touching the monster, but kept silent ass Izuna sat there.

"I…I hate them." Izuna spoke after a moment of silence. "I hate them!" He repeated harshly. "I hate the Senjus! Using her like she's some kind of weapon! Its sick!"

"It's not a person, Izuna," Madara put a hand on his hip as he glanced around the blood-spattered area. "Let them do with it what they want. It has nothing to do with us."

"Shut up, Madara!" The elder Uchiha glanced back at his brother in surprise to find tears dripping down his eyes. "Azumi's not a monster! A monster doesn't care about children! A monster doesn't live with humans and make a life with them! A monster doesn't try to make friends with those it meets! A monster doesn't worry about a blind man and try all she can to keep him safe!" Izuna wiped the tears from his cheeks. "Azumi isn't a monster! She's not!"

Madara watched his brother in silence as he ran his hand over Azumi's hair. Thoughts ran through his head. He shook his head and moved forward. He picked Azumi's body up and turned.

"She's not a monster," Izuna whispered again. He stood up and followed after his brother in silence.


	10. Chapter 9

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Chapter Nine**

**Monster?**

Kari pulled from her mother's arms the moment Madara and Izuna entered the Village again. Azumi was being carried by a stone-faced Madara while Izuna had a hand on his brother's shoulder, following him.

"Auntie Azi! Are you all right?" Kari cried, running forward and grabbing her hand.

"She's fine," Izuna assured her. "Just tired."

"Madara," The Uchiha paused at the elder Senju's voice. "Bring her here."

"I will be taking her to her room, Senju." Madara's voice was cold. Kari let go of Azumi's hand at the glare in the Uchiha's eyes before he continued walking forward.

"Stay here, little one," Izuna told the child. "You can see Azumi again soon; just let her rest."

The young child waited before hurrying to Azumi's garden. She could listen from there. She had to make sure that Auntie Azi was okay! Good thing that the sunset was in the other direction. Her shadow wouldn't be seen on the paper door.

"Thank you for carrying her, Madara," Tobirama's voice came from beside the bed that Azumi was now laying on. "But you can leave now."

"What are you going to do?" The elder Uchiha's voice was emotionless.

What we've done to the monster's mind since the Sage of 6 Paths found it. Erase its memory of breaking from." Hashirama answered. "It will think that it stayed here while you and I saved the children."

~Monster?~ Kari thought.

"But why?" Izuna demanded. "You can't keep doing this to her!"

"It has nothing to do with the Uchihas." Hashirama replied.

"It's got everything to do with me!" Izuna shouted. The whole room fell silent. "She's not a monster. She's everything but," His voice was soft. Kari dared a peek through the window and watched the blind man run a hand over Azumi's hair. "Repeatedly erasing her memory…it's inhumane. The only monster I know it you!" He growled at the two Senjus. "Using her like this…lying to her…its sad. Sad and disgusting."

Tobirama looked away, holding back his expression while Hashirama glared at the Uchihas. "Get out of here," He told the brothers. "It no longer concerns you."

Izuna went to open his mouth but Madara placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Come. We have to go tell Ranora about…about her twins."

Izuna pulled a face but stayed quiet as he left the room with his brother. Kari went to walk away herself but Tobirama's words caught her.

"Is…is Izuna right? She's not just a monster. She's-"

"You know what happened when we first came across it. It killed your betrothed those 6 years ago," Hashirama answered his brother. "Though it may look like your beloved, it's not. Azumi is a monster and there's nothing that's ever going to change that. If we were to let it know everything it would kill us." Hashirama fell silent for a moment. "I have a plan that will be able to keep it under control when it breaks loose. A necklace that I'm going to give to it. It'll be easy to control then."

"Why do you want to control it?" Tobirama asked. "Without it we can defeat our enemies anyway. Why keep the monster?"

"If I were to let it go, our problems will be worse. The monster with take control and people will die. Keeping it like this will but fine. For the rest of its lift it'll be a character and will have to change into another story, but until then, staying as Azumi is all right."

Kari turned silently and hurried away from the Hyuga homes. She was quickly looking all over the place, thinking to herself. She didn't know what to think. Azumi wasn't a human? What was she then? Why was she being used? What was going on? Th 5-year-old child was unsure. What was she supposed to do? The Senjus said that she was a monster. Why are they calling her that? What had Azumi done?

Azumi was the sweetest person that she knew. The woman was the one that would stay with the children and play games with them. She was the one that tried to protect everyone around her during battles. She was the one that would help elders with their gardens. Azumi cared for everyone and did everything that they all needed help for.

Why did the Senju brothers call her a monster?

Thinking some more for a moment, Kari paused in her steps. The Uchiha brothers knew something! She could go ask them!

But…where was their home? The only time that she had been there was when Azumi had taken her and she was asleep half the way there and back.

But she had to find them! She was going to find them! She had to learn what Hashirama and Tobirama had been talking about.

She hurried off into the section of the village that held the Uchihas. She received looks as she moved through the streets, looking for the two Uchihas that she had seen with Azumi. She was looked at in confusion. None of the Hyugas really ever came to their side of the village, so seeing one made them wonder why.

Kari didn't know how long it had been, but the streets were losing people and the village was getting darker. She had run across a group of crying people and she stopped after she had passed them.

She knew about the death of the Uchiha children and Dan Namikaze. Only she and Tsuki, Hashirama's daughter, had been saved. Kari didn't know how to feel about that. She was glad that she wasn't one of the ones that had died but she also wished that the other three had been saved as well.

Why had they been taken anyway?

Kari shook her head and sat on the ground. It was getting dark. She needed to get back to her mother, but now she was lost. She still wanted to find the Uchiha brothers before she went home, but it seemed that she didn't have any luck.

"What are you doing out here?" Came a cold voice.

Kari lifted her head. That figured. She had searched all afternoon for the Uchiha Brothers just to find them when she came to a stop.

Madara and his brother stood before the young child, staring down at her as the light grew darker.

With a smile, the 5-year-old jumped up to her feet and hugged Madara's legs again. "I finally found you!" She laughed in relief.

Izuna recognized the voice. "Kari? What are you doing here?"

She let go of Madara and looked up at the brother. "I came to talk to you!"

"About what?" The blind man asked with a smile.

"Well, to thank you for saving me. And…to ask you about…" She paused for a moment and glanced around the three of them. She didn't see anybody and turned back to the brothers. "About Azumi."

**The three of them were now at the Uchiha brother's home, sitting at the table. **Izuna closed his books and moved them out of the way as Madara brought in some tea for the three of them. Madara had done sent a clone to make its way *cough*slowly walk*cough* to the Hyuga Clan to tell them that the child Kari was here so they didn't think that she was kidnapped again.

Kari felt nervous under the cold look of Madara. He didn't want to join to talk to her but Izuna made him. So, sitting across from the young child beside his brother, Madara stared at her in silence. It made Kari nervous, but she wanted…needed the answers.

"I…I heard what you and the Senju brothers had said. And what they had said after you left." She squeezed the glass she held. "Why did they call Azumi a monster?" She demanded, glancing up at the brothers. "I know I'm only five, but I'm not stupid! I'm the smartest child in the Hyugas and the Senjus. What were they doing to Azumi? What had happened to her back at the cave? Why are they…'erasing her memory'?" The young girl looked back at the glass in her hands while Madara closed his eyes.

Izuna's head lowered. Both of the Uchihas waited for the other to begin and Izuna sighed. "You're a child, Kari. You shouldn't worry about it."

"But, Azumi's my aunt!" Kari argued. "She's more of a mother to me than my actual mother is! I want to know just what the Senju brothers are doing to her! What has she done to have anything happen to her?"

The younger Uchiha sighed. "Whether real family or not, you act just like her." He gave a small smile.

Madara scoffed. "If you're going to tell her anything you'd better hurry it up. One of the Hyugas will be here soon."

Izuna nodded and lifted his head again. "Kari you have to promise me, now and you'd best keep it, not to say ANYTHING to ANYONE. You can only talk to me and my brother-"

"Not me." Madara snorted.

"-about this and only when we're alone, do you understand?"

"But why?" Kari asked, leaning forward.

"Promise me." The man repeated.

"I promise."

Izuna sighed again. "Azumi is special. She's not who everyone, well, she's not who YOU think she is?"

"Who is she?"

Kari felt many things while Izuna told her everything. Madara stayed silent, just listening himself, but he held the feeling of being mad for some reason. Kari didn't know how to react…what to think…what to say. She wanted to go to the Senju brothers or all of the elder Hyugas who knew and ask them why this was going on. Hell, even her mother knew, but the fear of being the victim of Hashirama's 'Memory Erasing' Jutsu made her refuse to even think about talking about it outside of the two Uchihas.

"So, she's…Azumi is…" She lost her voice, thinking it all over. It scared her. It scared her a lot, but she just couldn't see it. Azumi took care of her. Azumi would carry the child and let her sleep on her bed. Azumi went to save her from her kidnappers. Azumi…

"She's not a monster," She announced. She now understood why Izuna had said that earlier. "Azumi is not a monster."  
>Izuna smiled as Madara stayed silent. "My thoughts exactly. I refuse to continue letting the Senjus and the Hyugas use her like they are now. I don't know how just yet, but I'm going to save her."<p>

Kari was silent for a moment, ignoring Madara's cold face. "I want to help." She told the younger Uchiha. "I don't know how, but I'd like to. Somehow."

Izuna opened his mouth to reply when the front door opened.

"Hello? Izuna? Madara's clone was sent to the Hyugas and announced that Kari was here. I'm coming in."

"We're back here." Izuna called out. Footsteps sounded down the hall until there was a relieved sigh at the door.

"Kari, your mother has been freaking out! Everyone was looking for you!" Azumi smiled at the young girl.

"Auntie Azi!" The child jumped to her feet and ran to the woman to give her a hug. "I'm so glad that you're okay!"

"Please, I was more worried about you! I fainted when I heard that you had been kidnapped. I was glad to hear that the Uchiha brothers brought you back," She glanced at the silent brothers. "And I apologize for…for the deaths."

"It's…" Izuna tried to think of the right word to say, but he let it drop there.

Kari kept silent. Hashirama had told Azumi that she had fainted? Then everything that Izuna had just told her…all of it was true.

"Let's go back home," Kari told Azumi, trying to keep from saying anything that the Uchiha had told her. "I'm hungry and tired."

"All right. Go wait outside and I'll be right there."

Kari turned to face the brothers. "I'm allowed to come back tomorrow, right?"

Madara stayed silent while Izuna nodded. "Of course you can. Just let someone know before you leave."

Kari nodded back and then left the house. Azumi watched her for a moment before she turned back to the brothers. Both of them were now standing. Izuna wore a small smile and Madara's face was still blank.

"I want to thank the two of you." The young woman said. "Kari…she means a lot to me. And I apologize for the others that…weren't as lucky as she and Tsuki were. Please, give the mother my apology."

Izuna nodded but Madara scoffed. "It's sad," The Uchiha mumbled. Izuna frowned at his brother and Azumi raised an eyebrow. "You claim to be strong, but you just aren't, are you?"

"What is with you?" Azumi growled at the man before her. "I came to thank you. That why I'm here instead of Tobirama. I wanted to thank you for saving my niece and my Godchild. Why do you always have to be so…so mean? Such a jerk to everyone?"

Madara shook his head and pushed his way past her into the hall. "My explanation isn't worth it." ~She wouldn't believe me, anyway~ He told himself as he made his way down the hall. He paused. Why was he even bothering to tell her things like that? Sure, he enjoyed making her annoyed and mad, but why was he going that far?

His head was beginning to hurt. Having to keep the secret annoyed him. In truth, Madara longed to see Azumi's reaction when she learned the truth. He wanted to see what she would do to the Hyugas and the Senju brothers. Would she kill them all?

Something told him that he wouldn't have to wait too much longer for the answer to that question.

**I know that I've been making Hashirama and Tobirama seem like the enemy, but they're not. They're just trying to keep control of Azumi so she doesn't break loose and kill everything. So they're not bad guys, but they're also not good guys either, you know?**

**Also, I didn't tell you the story that Izuna told Kari for a Purpose. You guys won't be learning it until Azumi learns it herself. Don't worry. It's closer than you all think ;)**

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	11. Chapter 10

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Chapter Ten**

**Christmas Surprise**

Over a month had passed; the Village of the Leaves was now full of snow. The Leader of the Village had yet to be chosen completely, but it was all ready narrowed down to the final two. Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju. The two of them had been fighting over it lately, but Azumi had forced them to come to a stop over the Holidays. Christmas was one of her favorite times of the year and she refused to have any of the fighting that normally went on.

But that didn't stop the arguing that she and the elder Uchiha participated in. It seemed that Madara wanted to argue over everything! Like the other night, when she arrived to pick Kari up and take her home she announced that they were going to be busy the next day and she couldn't come over. Madara decided to butt in and say that she could. He would show up in the morning and take her out to the forest with him and his brother. After arguing with the elder Uchiha(who constantly had that ANNOYING smirk on his face) Azumi decided that she would go with them.

But in the end of the entire trip, Kari and Izuna ended up lost in the forest while Azumi was stuck with Madara. When it was just the two of them, Madara's attitude fell silent and he would just stare at her. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. It confused her. Normally she could read others; she could read Izuna's looks and actions. But Madara was like a whole other world. She was out of luck when she was sitting there and trying to guess what was going on his mind.

It was enjoyable to her though. With Kari becoming attached to the two Uchiha brothers (mostly Izuna), Azumi found herself with Madara more and more. It annoyed her with his rude comments, but sometimes (rarely) they held regular conversations about the village, what they had in mind in the future, and other various things.

Azumi found herself looking forward to going on small missions with Madara or even just going to his home. She had invited the brothers to come to the Hyuga Home once, but Madara's response of 'That home is full of lies and babies. Why bother?' made sure that Azumi didn't offer it again. She enjoyed hanging out with both the brothers and would for hours even after the young 5-year-old niece of hers left to go back home or had fallen asleep in the room she had Izuna would be in looking through books and talking.

Infact, Azumi found herself growing closer to both of the Uchiha brothers. Izuna was someone that she could talk to about anything and he'd give her honest opinions and reasons and for hours they could just talk. Madara was the one that could take her explanations that she said and turn them into a reply that many would find annoying, and sometimes she would, but she enjoyed him. Both the brothers became close to her in a short amount of time. Even closer than the Senju brothers(though she didn't announce it vocally). She and the Senju brothers hadn't really talked lately. Not like they used to. The three of them would always be busy. Hashirama was continuing to help the workers make some new buildings. A school to teach children to use Jutsus and whatnot was in the process of being made and Tobirama always disappeared when Azumi tried to look for him. She tried to ignore the thought of the both of them running away from her but there was still that thought…

Especially after the Event of Kari and the other four children being kidnapped. Like always, she recalled something about herself during the time that the Senju brothers told her that she had passed out. But this time, she received more actions than just the fight. She remembered coming onto the bodies of the children…and then the voices that she had heard in her head…the voices that talked to her. She wondered if that had been a dream, but she highly doubted it. She had had too many things like that happen before.

But what did that make it? Azumi wanted to know the answers to everything that the Senju brothers were hiding from her, but she also feared what she would learn. Would it tear everything from her? Besides, the brothers wouldn't be hiding anything too serious from her, right?

Today was Christmas Eve. Everyone was with their families. Hashirama with his wife and kids. Tobirama with his brother. Azumi's sister was with her child and husband. She had been by there earlier that evening but now it was time for her to leave the three of them to themselves. She had done the same with them for years before, so why did she feel so alone right this moment? She never had before, or was it just one of those feelings that she would keep to the back of her mind?

For some reason she felt herself longing to wanting to go see the Uchiha brothers, but that would just be rude. This was a time for families and not time for her to be pushing herself in on anyone. So instead, Azumi curled up in her room on her bed with another book in her hand. It was actually one of the ones that Izuna had gotten her for Christmas as a gift. He apparently couldn't wait another day to give it to her and had come by the Hyuga homes that morning and dropped it off before heading back to his and his brother's home; after a bite to eat, of course.

Azumi was keeping his and his brother's though. She was going to be giving them their presents in the morning, and no time sooner.

And so, for what seemed to be hours she sat there and read the book. It was a short story. Izuna had told her that he had written it himself a few years ago and that he thought she would enjoy it so there it was as a Christmas present.

It actually was quite enjoyable. It was a story through the point of a young child that had gone through the death of his parents and he was seeking out the grandfather that he had met just once when he was younger. It turned out that it was the grandfather that had killed his parents due to the fact that they had left the Clan and in the end the young boy got his revenge on the elderly man. That was not something that she had been expecting.

The book was done in a few hours and Azumi was back to being bored so she laid there and stared at the ceiling, her thoughts jumping back and forth through the last couple of months. They had come so far and still had so far to go. The next think that they had to do was finish building all that they had planned and then pick the one that would be known as 'Hokage'.

Why, oh why, did it have to be between Hashirama and Madara? Why couldn't it have been two others? Now Azumi didn't know who to be rooting for. She had been keeping her mouth shut about it for a while, but time was coming closer.

She didn't like thinking about what was going to happen when they found out who lost. She didn't think that Hashirama would make a problem about it but Madara…

She didn't like thinking about how bad his attitude was going to get.

Speaking of Madara, Azumi turned to the chair by her bed. Two bags were sitting there, snowflake designs scattered across the blue. They held the Uchiha brothers' presents. She had been planning on getting Izuna a present, not Madara, but she had passed by them and for some reason they instantly made her think of him. She didn't know why they had brought Madara to her mind, they just did.

Reaching out, she grabbed the bags and pulled them to her. Izuna's present was a note, stating that the two of them were going to the Aikasha Hot Springs again together after Christmas. While they talked Izuna had mention wanting to go there again and so she had already reserved a room for the two of them.

Madara's though, that was the one that she was a bit worried about. As stated before it was a spur of the moment thing, but she wondered how he was going to react to them.

Azumi had come across them during one of their missions while they were staying at an Inn. She grabbed them and hid them from Madara on their way home and had kept them in her closet since.

Both were masks, one was orange and with a swirled-patterned that showed nothing but the wearer's right eye. The other was similar, just with black-flame patterns on it.

Again, she didn't know why she bought them for Madara, she just did.

Sitting there and staring at the two of them for a while, different Madara reactions went through her mind. Some were good. Some were bad. And some, she shuddered at even thinking about them a second time.

Finally deciding that it was time for sleep, she set the bags back on her chair before rolling into a ball under her covers. She was still feeling so alone…she kept finding herself wishing that someone would knock on her door and spend Christmas Eve with her until she finally drifted off to sleep...

**The next thing that Azumi knew was that she was sprawled out over a stone, cold floor. **

Pushing herself up, Azumi glanced around. She was in a dark cave, a single torch hanging on the wall. The rocks were a dark brown and chains were hanging around them. There was only a single dark passage that seemed to lead further into the cave, that path also dark.

Azumi wanted to believe that this was just a dream but she felt so real, but some dreams were like that, right?

Grasping the torch, Azumi headed down the path. A dream or not she wasn't just going to sit there and wait for something to happen.

Only her footsteps rebounded off the walls as she made her walk down the path and the further she went the colder she got.

Why did she have to be dressed in her shorts and tank top and not her regular clothes?

Suddenly, a deep male laugh broke the silence and made Azumi freeze; she could now see just the end of the path but beyond that was still darkness,

"Look who's finally decided to join us," The laughing voice began.

"It has been such a long time." The second voice, light and feminine, stated.

"Indeed. How much do you think it knows?" A 3rd asked. "Remembers?"

"Probably nothing," A 4th answered. "We have been enduring this torment for years. Why do you think we have been separated into these 10 forms?"

A 5th voice sighed. "Foolish humans. They don't think that they will be able to use us for much longer, do they?"

A 6th responded – "I'm sure that they do. One would think that after we slaughtered the Sage of Sixth Paths that they would want nothing more to do with us."

"Humans are stupid," A 7th voice decided to join as Azumi continued to just listen. "They think that they can continue with their foolish ideas of control."

An 8th voice snorted. "We won't be used as a weapon for much longer."

The 9th voice was the deepest of them all; the coldest. "They will regret ever touching us the moment that we are free."

"H-Hello?" Azumi called out as she stepped into the other room. She could hear breathing and feel eyes on her but she saw nothing. Nothing except…

Azumi titled her head as she glanced at the numbers on the walls. They seemed to form a circle around her and were drawn in what appeared to be blood.

"Is anyone here?" Chuckling started again.

"An so," The 9th voice spoke. "The 10 are together again."

"Not quite yet," The 2nd corrected. "The 10th doesn't know yet."

"Doesn't know what?" Azumi asked. "What are you talking about? Who's the 10th?"

The 8th sighed. "I suppose you could say that we, all of us, are the 10th; just separated into pieces."

"Separated," The 5th continued. "Until the 'Key' returns to pull us all back together again."

"Who are you?" Azumi asked again. "Where are you? Is this just a dream?"

"We can assure you that this is not a dream," the 6th Spoke again.

"The 10th…" The 3rd voice paused. "Let's just say that it is a wondrous being. The form is a miraculous thing; wondrous. Only those worthy enough can gaze upon it." Azumi raised an eyebrow and the voice snickered. "Would you like to see it?"

Her brows rose higher. "Don't worry. It's just a painting." Something told her that the voice was planning something, but she nodded. "Good. Now just turn around."

Azumi shrugged and turned around. After all, there was nothing for her to look at except the blood numbers.

~So, just who or what am I-Holy Crap! Where did the path go?~

The dark path that she had walked through was not gone, and a wall was there, a painting like the voice had said. What she first noticed was a human form standing in the middle of it, a sword in one hand and a staff in another as a much larger being was standing before it. Another stood beside it, with short hair and its own blade.

The form seemed to be hunched over, staring down at the figure beneath it. Ten tails flared up behind it, and several spikes were on its head. Nothing could really be told about it, except that the creature was large and it only had one eye in the middle of the face. 4 concentric circle were there, accompanied by 9 Sharingan-like tomoes. Besides that, the only other thing that Azumi could tell was that the eye color was red.

The torch dropped from her hand as she took steps closer to the painting. It continued to burn, but it was slowly dispersing. She ignored everything and reached out to the painting, her eyes stuck on the great creature. She didn't know why, but it seemed so…familiar.

The moment her hand touched the eye, something strange happened. Images were flashing through her head; memories. But whose?

_**A roar burst out resorting to rocks being blasted back and the man before the roaring creature threw his hands over his head, his blade and staff clenched in them still.**__ Lowering his arms, the long-haired man glared up at the large beast that towered over him._

"_Turn back now, foul beast! You are not welcome in this land! Return from whence you came!" The beast seemed to ignore him and began to move towards the lone man._

"_Father!" The man turned to see his two sons and his wife standing a few feet behind him._

"_Stay back!" The man ordered as the ground shook underneath the beast's feet. _

_The sons moved further back, but his wife refused and jumped up beside her husband. "Moka, get away from here! This beast is dangerous!" The beast let out another roar and more rocks flooded the air. The Man threw his arms over his wife and shielded her. _

_Moka pulled back and looked up into her husband's face. "Be quiet! I will not leave you here to deal with this creature alone! If the Sage of Six Paths can deal with it, then so can his wife!"_

_The Sage stared down at the woman in his arms and smiled as he kissed her forehead._  
>***<p>

_**The Sage fell to his knees, his wife beside him, breathing hard. **__The beast let out another roar, stomping its feet as it stormed to them again. The sons wanted to join their parents, but the Sage and Moka had told them to get the villagers safely from this place. _

"_We…we're not going to be able to destroy the beast," The Sage gasped. "It…it is too strong. Even for me…" He announced to his wife._

_She looked back up at the large creature. "We might not be able to defeat it, but…but we can seal it."_

"_What?" He looked at her in surprise._

"_Seal it, Love. Seal it within me! I am the wife of the Sage of Six Paths! I will be able to withhold the beast until we find a way to destroy it."_

"_No," The Sage shook his head. "I won't do it!"_

"_Do it, Love! You're the only one that can seal the creature within me. Do it, or everything else will be destroyed!" She grabbed her husband's face. "I am strong enough to do this. Trust me and do as I say!"_

_The Sage lowered his head in defeat and nodded. Turning to face the creature that loomed over him and his wife again, he began to jutsu that would seal the beast within the woman he loved. _

_**He had done it.**__ He had sealed the creature within his wife, but there was something wrong. The ground still rumbled and the rocks still flew in the air. And the beasts power…it could still be felt…and from the body beside the Sage. _

_He turned and looked at Moka just in time to dodge out of the way. _

_Moka's body, her eyes now that of the creatures, had tails of chakra now floating out of her body as she snarled at the Sage. _

_The Sage looked at her in horror. The sealing…it didn't work. The Beast had been too strong. It now took control of Moka's body. Of his wife's body!_

"_Father!" His two sons appeared beside him. They had watched what had happened and fear traveled on their faces. _

"_Mother…" The younger child stared at the woman in fear. "What…what are we going to do?"_

_The Sage shook his head as the four of them just stared at each other. Moka's body let out a roar and the older son received an idea. "Brother," They both looked at him. "The Beast is only in mother's body! Mother is still there! When Father and I knock the creature out, use your powers and erase the things memory! It should halt its power and mother will be fine!"_

_The Sage nodded his head. "Good idea. And then after that we will think of an idea to destroy the beast."_

_The younger son nodded, his face still worried but he got ready as his Father and Brother attacked._

_It was actually not that long that he had to wait. The moment his mother's body fell down he rushed forward, the chakra on his hands. The Sage and Older brother watched in silence until he stood up. _

"_Is it done?" The Sage asked._

"_Yes." The man nodded. "Will…will mother be fine with that…that thing in her?"_

"_For now, I don't know," The Sage shook his head as he picked the woman up. "But I sure hope so."_

_**For days Moka just lay in their bed.**__ The Sage never left her side and just sat in a chair, watching over her. He didn't want to sleep as his sons helped rebuild what was once a village. Everyone knew that the Ten-Tailed Beast now resided within Moka's body. Some were afraid, but they believed that nothing foul would happen again. Not with the Sage of Six Paths with them._

_Finally, after days, the woman's body began to move and her eyes opened. She glanced around the room and her eyes fell on the man beside the bed._

_Immediately the man jumped from the chair. "Moka!" The Sage grasped her hand as he kneeled beside the bed. "I'm so…I'm so happy that you're safe."_

_The woman looked into the Sage's eyes. "Wh…who are you?"_

Azumi jolted up from her bed. Sweat rolled down her face and back, but the room was freezing. Shakily raising her right hand she buried her face into it.

~What…what was that?~ She asked herself. ~What did I just see?~

Ple**ase Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	12. Chapter 11

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Chapter****Eleven**

**Christmas Surprise Part 2**

There was a slight mix of embarrassment and silence as Madara stared down at the masks in his hands. Azumi and Kari had gone to The Uchiha brothers' home for presents and whatnot the day after Christmas. Kari had made both the brothers a beaded necklace that matched hers and Azumi's and Azumi had told Izuna about their trip in the next week or so. She also, trying not to appear to be nervous as those stone black eyes watched her coldly, handed Madara his bag. The three of them had waited as a look of slight surprise appeared on the Elder brother's face as he glanced down at the bag.

"You got these…for me?" His voice was emotionless but his face of surprise told another story.

"Yeah," She scratched the back of her head as she answered. "I saw them and for some reason, they just…made me think of you."

"Aww, isn't that sweet?" Izuna asked his brother with a smile.

"Let me get this straight," Madara stood up, still staring down at the masks. "These masks made you think about me."

She pulled a confused face, her smile falling. "Yes,"

"Mhhh-hmm," He lifted his eyes and the cold gaze locked with hers. "And what makes you think that I'm going to wear them?" He asked her.

"Yell, you don't have to wear them. It was-"

"What makes you think I'm going to keep them?" Madara continued. "What makes you think that I'd like anything like this? What made you think that I'd appreciate you buying me anything?"

Azumi glared at the Uchiha as Kari and Izuna watched in silence with their mouths open. "Well, forgive me for trying to be nice, Uchiha!" She growled. "Let's see me ever by you something else again!" She turned her back to him, arms crossed.

Azumi waited a few moments before steps pounded up the stairs and she turned again. Madara had gone upstairs, taking the masks with him. She couldn't help it and gave a smile. She loved the way he acted. He would threaten her a lot, but it always seemed to call her back to him; she just never said anything.

"Sometimes he's such a jerk," Kari said from her position at the table as she sat across from Izuna. "He didn't even say thank you."

"That is my brother's way of saying thank you," Izuna shook his head as he took a sip of tea. "He's just…that's just how he acts. The two of you have been around him long enough to know that."

"Yeah," Azumi chuckled as she sat down beside her niece. "That we have." She tried to ignore that several voices in her head as they laughed. "So, you got about a week, Izuna. It's just gonna be me and you at the Hot Springs." She grinned. "You'll be able to make it, won't you?"

"Of course I will," Izuna smiled at her. "I appreciate it a lot, Azumi. I'm sure the trip will be great. How long is it? Three days?"

"Four. We're sharing the room, but there's different beds, so don't worry about that. All the food is paid for and whatnot though, and there's supposed to be-" She paused with a smile. "Never mind; forget that. You'll see when we get there."

"Oh, a surprise?" Izuna's eyebrows rose. "I like surprises."

"Why don't I get to go?" Kari demanded with a frown and crossed arms. "I wanna go with you guys!"

Azumi laughed at her Niece. "You're not old enough yet, Kari. Maybe next year," She told her. "Don't worry, though. I'll take you somewhere for your birthday, okay? It might not be the Hot Springs, but it'll be somewhere else, deal?"

Kari smiled and hugged her Aunt. "Deal! Don't you dare try to back out of it, Azumi!"

"I promise I won't." she laughed, picking up her own glass of tea.

_**~Tonight it the night, let's get ready to go**_

_**Leave your bags behind and let's hit the road**_

_**Tonight is the night there's no time to loose, let's get going~**_

The Aikasha Hot Springs was packed, even during the winter. The streets were lined with snow and footsteps. All the shops still ran and everyone there was full of smiles and greetings and laughter.

Azumi and Izuna had left early that morning, Azumi's sister and Niece were the only ones that got up to say goodbye(Kari half-asleep on her mother's shoulder). Madara refused to leave his bed at 5 in the morning(lol) and as said before, Hashirama and Tobirama had been too busy(AKA. Avoiding) with the village. After Christmas though, the brothers had told her that everything would be back to the way it used to be, so she had her fingers crossed.

The entire trip to Aikasha had been Izuna telling Azumi about their Christmas Night. Madara and their cousin had apparently challenged each other to everything. Who ate faster. Who ate the most. Who got and gave the better presents. An image of that harsh, cold man arguing over a teddy bear appeared in her mind and Azumi burst out laughing as they came to a stop at the Inn they were staying at. They had received the same room that the Uchiha brothers were in when the two of them had first met.

"So, what did you do on Christmas?" Izuna asked.

Azumi paused for a moment. ~Had a weird dream about having 10 Split Personalities that tried to convince me to kill the Senju brothers~ She told herself as she continued to walk down the hall. "Well," She finally decided to answer. "Nothing really. I was just by myself, reading the books that you gave me."

"What?" Izuna sounded shocked as they paused outside their door. "You spent the night by yourself?"

"Uh, yeah." She replied. "My Sister was with her family but it was all right. The book you had given me was quite enjoyable. You should sell it!"

He flushed. "I appreciate that. I'm glad you liked it." He took a breath. "You could have come over to our place! We had more than enough room and food for you!"  
>"Oh, Iza, I couldn't do that. That's a family thing. I wouldn't want to intrude!"<p>

"Please, Azi," Izuna took a step into the room after she had opened it. "You won't be intruding! I swear! Infact, I enjoy having you around! A lot! Almost more than my brother," He then grumbled – "Nowadays, anyway. "

Azumi caught that. "Why's that?" She took a quick glance around the room. It looked much like the room that Azumi and the Senju brothers shared before, just different colors with two chairs in the room instead of a couch and then three separate doors. One to each of the two rooms and then one what Azumi didn't need to look into to know that it was the bathroom.

"To be honest, ever since he was named the Head of the Clan, Madara has changed. He's not like he was when we were younger, even when it's just the two of us." Izuna sighed felt around until he found the chair and sat. "We always pushed each other forward; harder, but now…" He shook his head. "Forget it. That's just me talking."

Azumi sat down on the table before the young man. She could sense that he was struggling with something that he wanted to say. Was it about his brother? Reaching forward, she placed a soft hand on his. "You can talk to me about anything, Izuna. You should know by now that I won't tell anyone any of what you tell me." She grinned. She watched his face as he struggled for a moment with himself before he let out his own soft smile.

"Thank you, Azi. I say the same to you." He then gave a bigger smile and leaned forward. "So, what do you want to do first? Wanna catch the fireworks? Or the dance theatre? Or," Azumi couldn't help but shake her head at Izuna. This poor man wanted to go to all these things, these celebrations, and yet he couldn't see them. Being able to see was making her feel guilty. If only there was something that she could do to help him see again…she could find a way, couldn't she?

They were there at Aikasha for three days. They had the final night before they had leave in the morning. They had done everything that they could, the music, the plays, the fireworks…Azumi wanted to do whatever Izuna wanted. The music was something she understood, but why Izuna wanted to attend the plays and the fireworks with her, she didn't know. The only thing that they had not done yet was hit the Hot Springs, but for several reasons.

One, the only Hot Springs that they were going to go in was the private one that was connected to their room and there was no man there that could help Izuna while he was around in it.

And Two, despite the fact that he was blind, Azumi didn't even think about going in there and helping the young man in the Hot Springs.

…

…

…

Until he asked her to that final night during dinner.

Azumi glanced up, her food half-way to her mouth as it hung open with a look of surprise on her face. "What?" She asked, dropping her chopsticks.

Izuna's face was pitch red as he lowered his head. "I could understand if you don't want to, but I would like to hit the Hot Springs before we leave." He took a breath. "I know that it's weird, but I plan on wearing some shorts while in there, but I just won't…"

Azumi swallowed. Okay, as long as he was in some kind of clothes then she wouldn't mind escorting him out there. While they were at it, she might as well jump in too! After all, she'd be stupid to just stand out there in the cold while there was hot water calling her name, yes?

So about an hour later Azumi, dressed in a tank top and a pair of shorts, accompanied Izuna in his own pair of shorts, out into the steaming pool of hot water that was surrounded by snow. Azumi was instantly sort of glad that Izuna couldn't see. He couldn't catch her looking at him. For being a blind man, Izuna's body sure seemed like he took care of it all he could. Good enough to make a blush creep up on her cheeks and believe me; she has seen shirtless men in pools and whatnot before.

(NO PERVERTEDNESS INTENDED HERE! YET ;))

But Izuna was different. He was…what was he to her? Madara and his brother both had a place in her now, but what were they? No, the better question was – Had the Uchihas taken the places of the Senjus?

No, that couldn't be it. The Senjus had been with her for the last five years. There was no way that could be. The Senjus had there for her and taken care of her and and -

_Lied to us? _A voice rang in her head.

_Tricked us? _

_Used us? _

_Disgraced us!_

Azumi shook her head as she slipped under the water for a moment. The voices in her head was something that she didn't need to hear right now. She was here on vacation so she shouldn't worry about anything that was going to happen when they returned to the Village.

As said before, though Izuna was a blind man, he still seemed to be normal. He always ended up sneaking up behind her in the water and jumping on her, dunking her. She enjoyed being around Izuna. He was like a best friend to her. He was…

_Humans are such amusing creatures. _The voices began to sound in her head again

_You forget; she's technically not a human._

_Oh, should you really say that? She hasn't figured everything out yet._

_That and the fact that she isn't even really a 'she'. I don't think we're to be considered male or female._

"Just stop it!" Azumi burst out, holding the sides of her head. Izuna, who had been planning to jump on her again, instantly stopped moving.

"I'm sorry. I was just messing around."

Azumi twirled around, waving her hands. "No no! It wasn't you I was yelling at! I swear!"

"Oh really?" He smirked. "Then who was it?"

"Well," She paused, recalling the conversation the two of them had had when they first arrived to their room. He wouldn't tell anyone, would he? "It just…" Azumi took a breath. "Do you ever hear these voices in your head?"

"Voices?" Izuna's tone was firm.

"Yeah. Voices. It's probably just me reacting to all the stress but they're there. For the moment, anyway." She gave a sigh.

"Aww, that's it?" Izuna splashed some water at her. "Don't make me nervous about things like that, Azi!"

She fought a grin as she splashed him back.

For the rest of the night the two of them did as they always did. They talked, teased the other, and then finally crashed into their beds. She had learned at Izuna was sleeping in the bed that he had had last time(he had decided to make sure that she knew that) and so she was stuck in the bed that Madara had been in.

She didn't think that that would bother her, but it did. She rolled for what she thought was hours, a single thought in her head for reasons that she didn't know why. For reasons that seemed to be tearing her head apart; without the help of the Nine Voices.

Rolling over and burying her face into the pillow, Azumi tried to keep her mind blank, but her mind decided to be stubborn. As did her body when she found herself thinking about Madara sleeping here just months ago.

~Whoa!~ She told herself, rolling onto her back to stare at the ceiling. ~That is definitely not something that I should be thinking about Madara! That man is a total rude, pompous, cocky pain in the ass that thinks that he's better than anyone or anything else; be it man, woman, child, animal, and/or object. Not the mention cute. Okay, he's cute. Really cute. All right, all right; he's hot! Gorgeous! But I'll never admit that aloud. And definitely never to his face! No no! Never ever!~

"Azi?" Izuna's voice whispered through the door.

Azumi hadn't heard it open. For some reason, she didn't feel like talking to Izuna while thinking about how cut his brother was, so she kept silent. She figured that he would leave, but that apparently wasn't in his task. Izuna stepped into the room and carefully walked towards the bed, feeling on the walls. She watched him, confusion on her face. He came to the bed, knees hitting the edge, and began to feel the spread before sitting on the edge of it. She watched as he just sat there for a moment; if he could see he would be staring at her. She didn't move; not even as his hand lifted and began to run through her hair. She didn't want to move, the feeling of his hand was nice on her head.

"I…I wish that I could tell you everything," He whispered. Her heart began to pound. "What the Senjus have been doing to you for all these years…I find it to be disgusting. You're not a monster, Azumi, and I refuse to believe that you are. I will not let them erase your memories any longer. Soon, the battle for the one to be named Hokage is going to be upon us. You can't push it back any further. Neither my brother nor Hashirama will win. I will. I will become Hokage, and I will take you away from the brothers. I will no longer let them control you." She closed her eyes as his head leaned down and his forehead pressed against her's. She froze, not wanting to move. "I'm not going to let them control you anymore. You are not a beast, Azumi. You never will be…In my eyes…" He sighed. "I wish that I could see you…know what you look like…are you what I imagine? Long dark hair…tan eyes…dressed in silver…" He gave another sigh. "I'm sorry that…I just couldn't see you…If I could find a way to see again, even for just a moment, it would be you I'd like to see…and only you. "

Azumi had to keep herself from moving as Izuna's face lowered even more. She had to keep herself from freezing when his lips pressed to hers. She had to keep herself from returning it too, and that was the hardest of all.

Izuna stood again. "I will find a way to free you from this, Azumi. And when I do…I pray that you stay with me and my brother."

Azumi opened her eyes again, staring after the man that slipped out of her room. Her eyes were wide as her fingers touched her lips. That was something that she had not been expecting…ever. Especially not from one of the Uchiha brothers. Tobirama, maybe, but never one of them.

And what Izuna had just said…that added everything together. The Senju brothers had been hiding something from her. And the Uchihas knew it. Everyone but herself knew it. So…what Madara had told her…that she had been the one that had beaten him, broken his arm…that was her, not one of the brothers.

What had they been hiding from her? And…did this involve the voices she had encountered?

Something told Azumi that things were about to get a lot worse.

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	13. Chapter 12

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Just for Yuti-Chan, TinyHearts, Tia Minx, and MitternachtDressage for their reviews on the last Chapter Thank you! :)  
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**Chapter Twelve**

**Warnings**

"Auntie Azi, Daddy and Uncie Tobi want to see you."

Azumi glanced Up from her seat on the floor. She had Karri had been in her greenhouse earlier, planting flowers. Flowers couldn't grow in the winter so Azumi had built a greenhouse so she could still have them year-round. Kari had done returned home for lunch but Azumi had stayed behind.

Her Godchild stood in the doorway of the building, a sad look on her face. Her motherly intentions grasped her. "Are you all right, Tsuki?"

"Yeah, it's just…" The young child walked further in and decided to take a seat in Azumi's lap. "Daddy and Uncie Tobi were talking about another battle coming up next week. Daddy wants to become Hokage so badly that he's going to make the decision come out on a battle! He could die!"

Azumi sighed. She knew what the child was talking about. She had learned it a month ago the night that…Izuna had kissed her in the Inn. She had also heard about it from the Senju brothers. Their time together had started again, knocking Azumi's time with the Uchiha brothers in-half greatly. It was sad. She loved hanging out with the Senju brothers again, but she always found herself wishing that she was with Kari at the Uchiha home. She felt torn; and not just between the two families, but between the Uchiha brother's themselves. The night when Izuna had kissed her, her feelings had grown; though she never told him that she was awake. She didn't tell him anything. She had feelings for Madara as well. They seemed to just replace the Senju brothers.

Azumi felt betrayed by the Senju brothers now, but she still loved them as her family. She just…she didn't know what to do. She had tried to contact the voices in her head before to learn and put everything together but they laughed at her half the time, saying that she should learn it by asking the Senju brothers but she just never got the courage up to do it. And she just couldn't face the Uchiha brothers with it either. That would prove that she was awake that night and…she didn't want Madara to know.

Both sets of brothers, Hashirama and Tobirama as well as Madara and Izuna, were going into the battle with the other men that wanted to be Hokage. Azumi and some of the other women were to go to the battle with them, but while some of the Women would fight for the role of Hokage, Azumi didn't want it. She was going to just keep those important to her safe and for no other reason than that. The others though…they were willing to sacrifice their lives to become leader of the village. Azumi found that to be foolish. Men could be such foolish creatures sometimes. Sometimes women, too.

~God, now I sound like the Nine of you!~ She growled at herself.

There was laughter responding to her.

(Now I know that this isn't how the Hokage was chosen to begin with, but I'm changing it to fit my way, okay?)

The Voices in her head and Azumi had come to terms. She understood that they were no longer just her imagination. They were a part of her. She just had yet to find out why. (As said before)

"Listen Tsuki," She hugged the child to her. "Who's the strongest ninja in this village, hmm?"

"You are, Auntie!" The child replied with a smile.

"I was expecting your father, but that works too," She laughed. "Okay, besides me who's the strongest?"

"Uncie Madara!" Azumi had forgotten that Kari had been dragging Tsuki to the Uchiha house lately.

"Oh, you'd better not let your father hear that one," Azumi giggled at her Godchild as she giggled too. "But seriously."

"Daddy is!" She finally said.

"So, when they leave tomorrow for the battle, you know he's going to be just fine!" She told the child in her arms. "Don't worry about him not coming back. He'd never leave you and your mother alone. He'll come back just for the two of you, understand?"

The child thought for a moment before turning around giving Azumi and big hug. "Thank you, Auntie Azi! I knew that I could count on you." She gave the older woman a kiss on the nose and turned to leave the greenhouse before turning back. "Don't forget about Daddy, Auntie!" The young girl then ran out, calling for Kari.

~Now's better than ever~ Azumi sighed, brushing the dirt from her clothes as she stood. Leaving the Garden, she made an immediate right out of the Hyuga gate onto the road. The Senjus were that far, but they were not residents of the Hyuga Estate. No one but the Hyugas were allowed to live there. Azumi found that to be foolish; if they wanted to live there, let them, but the elders were themselves of course.

She had a meeting with them later that night, too. She couldn't wait for that.

"Ahh, Azumi," She looked to the left of the Hashirama's house as she arrived to see the brothers standing there; they had been talking. Getting ready to leave tomorrow, most likely. "I was wondering when you would be coming. I sent Tsuki after you an hour ago." Hashirama gave the woman a smile.

"Oh really?" She grinned herself. "Well, she must have been preoccupied for I didn't receive the message until about twenty minutes ago." She laughed. "Her and Kari were probably playing some more before she remembered."

"Indeed." Tobirama agreed with his own smile, but she could tell that there was something wrong beneath his tone.

_Azumi _Voice 2 sounded in her head. _Be careful._

(Until the names are given, let's just know the 9 by numbers, yeah?)

~What?~ She asked.

_Something isn't right…be on guard._

_She's right,_ Voice 8 agreed. _Something is foul among the brothers._

Azumi kept her eyes from narrowing. After learning that the Senju brothers were hiding something from her, she learned to trust the voices. What was going on?

"So," She decided to reply. "What's going on? What did you need me for?"

"We actually have a request for you." Hashirama gave Tobirama a look but the white-haired brother refused to return it. "We would like for you to stay here tomorrow."

That was not what she had been expecting. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you have no desire to be named the Hokage, correct? What would the point of you being there and being the one to kill the leader of the enemy?"

"But, I can't just let you go without me! What if something was to happen? You guys need me!" She saw a twitch in Tobirama's faces as he tried to keep from showing emotions to her. What was going on? She controlled her face again. "Hashirama, the three of us have been partners for five years. You can't just leave me here like that on something important like this." ~I can't let Izuna go like this either…without his sight…~

"I would appreciate it." Hashirama grabbed her shoulders and tilted his head to stare down at her. "With many of the men gone, the village will have few ninja and I need you to stay here. Any enemy, any passing rogues, will take the opportunity, understand?" He rubbed his hand on her head like he would a little sister. "I can trust you to keep the village safe while we're gone, right?"

What could she say to that? "I guess I can do that. But if either the four of you get hurt, I'll beat the hell out of you after your better."

Hashirama gave a laugh but Tobirama frowned. "Four?"

"Yeah," She grinned. "Izuna and Madara are going too, remember?" She kept the smile on her face, but she watched their reactions. The brothers shared a silent look that she wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't been on the look for it.

"There's another thing that we want you to do," Tobirama took a step towards her as Hashirama stepped back. "What I want you to do. I want you to try and talk Izuna out of coming as well."

"What?" She repeated herself, and then took a breath. "Because of his…circumstances, right?" She didn't need to refer to what they were.

Tobirama took a moment and she frowned. "Yeah, his…eyes. We understand that he's been fighting with his brother for years since his…loss but it's still dangerous. I didn't like the thoughts of his going on missions either, but he wouldn't listen to us. I know that you have gotten to know him more than we have and I just thought that it would be a good idea to ask you to convince him not to go."

_He's lying…there's another reason _Voice 7 claimed. ~Yeah, I can tell~ She sighed. ~But what is it and why~

_Who cares?_ Voice 6 asked. _I say that we go anyway! Who cares if the Uchiha goes?_

~I do!~ Azumi growled.

To be honest, as said before, Azumi didn't like the idea of Izuna going but she knew that he wouldn't agree to stay with her even if she asked so she wasn't even going to bring it up. Now, if he got mad at her, she could blame it on the Senju brothers.

"I can, uh, I can go and talk to him about it but if he doesn't agree it's not my fault." Azumi told them.

"That's not a problem." Hashirama patted his brother's shoulder and Tobirama turned to leave, head hanging. She wanted to call after him, to ask what was wrong but Hashirama continued to talk to her as his brother entered the house. "I appreciate this Azumi, I really do. I'm also worried about the younger Uchiha." Azumi knew from the look on his face that it wasn't Izuna that he was worried about, but rather something else that concerned the younger Uchiha. Was it his eyes or something else? "It would be better if he didn't go with us as well." He gave her another look. "I would also like it better if you and Kari stopped being around Madara as well."

"What?" She repeated herself a second time. She had not seen that one coming. "What do you say that? I mean sure, Madara can be harsh sometimes but after that he's like a normal person."

"It's just…a feeling that I get off of him." Hashirama told her.

_Lying_. Voice 5 said in a sing-song voice. _I'm surprised at how long they've had control over us._

~Shut up~ Azumi told them; it was her they were blaming for all of this, anyway.

"Well I'll take your worry to heart, but for now I don't see or find anything wrong with Madara. I find his quiet enjoyable to be around. I like how he acts and his attitude."

_Not the mention you like him _The 2nd voice gave a laugh.

_Too bad that'll change soon_. Voice 1 agreed.

She shushed the ones in her head. "So until I see something that I don't like about him, I think I'll stay friends." She then gave another small smile. "But I thank you for your concern."

Hashirama gave her a nod before turning to follow after his brother. She raised her eyebrows even higher before turning around and headed towards the Uchiha homes. Might as well go talk to Izuna now, right?

Izuna had been reading, like he always did while Madara was taking a nap. They were apparently leaving tomorrow and Madara wanted to be ready for it. Azumi had talked to Izuna about what the Senju brothers had said, about all three of them being worried about his in the fight, but he told her not to worry.

"Of course I'm going to worry, Iza!" She told him, setting her teacup down. "I know you don't want others to think that you can't do things because you can't see, but I still worry about you fighting because of that! I know you can fight; I've seen how good you are and makes me wonder how good you'd be if you could see! I still just worry about you, is all." She told him.

"And I appreciate that, Azumi. I really do. I'm glad that you care and worry about me." Izuna smiled as he reached over and placed a hand over hers. Warmth shot up her arm. "But I have a reason to go on this mission. An important reason."

"And that reason would be?" She already knew the answer, but would he tell her?

He leaned forward with that smile still on his face. "It's a secret." Oh god, she could just see him wink at her while saying that. She imagined him with Madara's eyes and couldn't help but blush at the vision of that.

"You know you shouldn't keep secrets from me," She told him. Then she thought for a moment. There was something that she wanted to know. Something that had been bothering her since she had met the Uchiha brothers. "Just…how did you lose your sight?" Azumi decided to finally ask.

"What?" Izuna looked at her in surprise. "What made you ask that?"

"I've just always wondered how," She told him with a small smile. "I mean, I know it's a personal thing, but I was just wondering."

"Uh….well," He looked like he'd really rather be somewhere else. "The truth is…"

"I took them." A deep voice cut through the uneasiness in the room; it just made it worse. Azumi turned and stared at the man in the doorway.

"What?" She repeated herself once again that day, staring at the elder Uchiha brother.

**Oh poo, look at what I left it. lol Sorry guys. gotta wait for the big one :D I had to make the next chapter extra special  
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**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	14. Chapter 13

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Here's the part that you all have been waiting for! :)**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Shukaku**

**Madara was standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his bare chest due to the fact that he had been sleeping.**

"Oh dear," Was heard from Izuna but Azumi's eyes were on Madara.

"You heard me. I shouldn't need to repeat myself." He told her coldly.

"You're joking, right?" Azumi asked him; she then turned to Izuna. "He's joking, right?" She asked again before letting out a false laugh. "That's not something that you should joke around with, Madara." The smile that she had been forcing on her face slowly fell before it was replaced with a look of anger and disgust. "You sick, foul, twisted-" A slew of curses came out of her mouth one moment and then the next she had lunged at the elder Uchiha. She didn't know why but the anger just took control of her. No, wait, she knew why! This man ripped out his brother's eyes! He was using them as his own!

So many times Azumi wanted to know how it would feel to be looked at by the blind man that she had grown feelings for when she had been stared at with them this entire time! Were they even still considered Izuna's eyes? How could Madara have done something like that and still live with himself! Why did he even need them? What had happened that made him have to take his brother's eyes? Why was Izuna still around him? Did the rest of the Uchihas know? How could Madara still let his brother be around him on the battlefield? What kind of brother would do that to his family? She wouldn't even do that to Hashirama or Tobirama, let alone her own sister!

Madara caught her wrists before shoving her against the wall. He opened his mouth to say something but her head rammed forward into his face. The Uchiha backed away, holding his nose as Izuna stood to his feet, a look of worry on his face.

"You're a monster!" Azumi screamed at him. "How could you do that to him? To your own brother!"

"Shut up!" Madara shouted, his eyes burning in to her. "You don't know anything! You say you care about my brother, but you're just-"

"Madara!" Izuna's voice cut his brother off. They both glanced at him. His eyes were closed as always, but the sense he was giving off was giving them a warning to keep his brother silent.

"Stop keeping me from telling it the truth, Izuna! It'll learn it sometime soon, anyway!" Madara growled, wiping the blood away from his nose.

~It?~ She barked in her head. ~That's what they think of me as well?~ She narrowed her eyes. ~What aren't they telling me!~

"She," The emphasis that the younger Uchiha put on the word was strong. "Wants to know the answer to how I lost my sight. Tell her."

Madara opened his mouth to reply, but he shut it again, giving his brother a glare. "You're being foolish, little brother. You're too caught inside of this!"

"And you aren't?" Izuna's voice was cold; his face firm. The two of them were having a silent battle as a still enraged Azumi watched them. Madara gave a scoff and turned to leave the room but Azumi blocked his path.

"You're not going anywhere, you bastard!" She told him. "I want an answer! How could you do that? How could you do that to your own brother?" Her voice rose as she continued to speak. "How can you still call yourself a human? You're a monster!"

Madara had to bite his tongue. He had promised Izuna that he wouldn't say anything, but she was beginning to step on his toes.

_Just hurry up and kill him! Kill them both! _Voice 9 told her. _They'll just be in our way in the future. Get rid of them while you still can!_

"Azumi, listen to me," The woman turned back to Izuna. "Madara didn't take my eyes."

"What the hell!" She glared between the two brothers. "Pick a damn story and stick with it! Does he have your eyes or not?"

"Well…" Izuna sighed. There was no use hiding it from her now, right? "Yes." Her glare turned back to Madara to speak again (most likely not pleasantly) but Izuna cut her off. "He didn't take them; I gave them!"

Azumi turned to Izuna in confusion. "What do you mean you 'gave them'?"

"When Madara and I were younger," Izuna decided to explain. Madara closed his eyes, staying silent as he relived the memories as his brother spoke. "We competed against each other always and over everything. We attained the Mangekyo through our rivalry. We were able to increase our clan's power but with the use of the Mangekyo, it leads to blindness and Madara…" Azumi's eyes softened as the elder brother's opened to catch her gaze on him. "Madara was the elder brother. He was the one that the Clan needed to lead them so I gave him my eyes! With him able to see again, everything was back to normal."

~Not fully,~ Izuna told himself. ~ But close enough~

"So please," He continued. "Don't be mad at my brother! He did nothing wrong!"

Azumi didn't know what to think. Even the voices in her head were silent; though she didn't know if it was from shock or boredom. Most likely the later. Her eyes traveled between the two brothers. Izuna's face was pleading while Madara just glared. She didn't know what to do, what to say, how to react. What was she supposed to say? 'Oh, you GAVE him your eyes! Sorry about that!' Hell no!

Without a word, Azumi turned and left the house to think, shutting the door softly behind her.

Madara turned his gaze to his brother. He looked like he was about to cry; his hands trembled as he sat down and grasped his tea cup. He shook his head.

"I told you not to let your feelings take hold, Izuna." He told him. "It's not human. I told you that it would hurt."

The words echoed through Izuna's head but he didn't respond. Madara closed his eyes and turned to go back to his room.

~The sad thing is! He told himself as he walked down the hall. ~He's not the only one that should have listened to my warning.~

_**~The world seems not the same,  
>Though I know nothing has changed.<br>It's all my state of mind,  
>I can't leave it all behind.<br>I have to stand up to be stronger.**_

_**I have to try to break free  
>From the thoughts in my mind.<br>Use the time that I have,  
>I can't say goodbye,<br>Have to make it right.  
>Have to fight, cause I know<br>In the end it's worthwhile,  
>That the pain that I feel slowly fades away.<br>It will be alright.**_

_**I know, should realise  
>Time is precious, it is worthwhile.<br>Despite how I feel inside,  
>Have to trust it will be all right.<br>Have to stand up to be stronger.**_

_**I have to try to break free  
>From the thoughts in my mind.<br>Use the time that I have,  
>I can't say goodbye,<br>Have to make it right.  
>Have to fight, cause I know<br>In the end it's worthwhile,  
>That the pain that I feel slowly fades away.<br>It will be alright.**_

_**Oh, this night is too long.  
>I have no strength to go on.<br>No more pain, I'm floating away.  
>Through the mist I see the face<br>Of an angel, who calls my name.  
>I remember you're the reason I have to stay.<strong>_

_**I have to try to break free  
>From the thoughts in my mind.<br>Use the time that I have,  
>I can't say goodbye,<br>Have to make it right.  
>Have to fight, cause I know<br>In the end it's worthwhile,  
>That the pain that I feel slowly fades away.<br>It will be alright.~**_

**Azumi found herself in that dark cave again, the torch in her hand shining a dim light on the numbers on the wall. **

"Feelings just get in the way," Voice 4 said. "Why continue to use them when they're just part of the problem?"

Azumi glanced at the number on the wall(what else could she look at?) "That's what we use. People have feelings to..." She paused. How could she explain it to someone she hadn't met before? "Where are you guys?" She asked. "How come I've never seen any of you before?"

9 laughs decided to reply.

"Why ask that question?" Voice 7 asked; laughter still there.

"Is it such a strange question?" Azumi replied.

"If you see us, you might be scared." Voice 2 teased.

"If she is scared," the deep, 9th voice decided to step in. "Then she does not deserve to learn the truth that everyone has been keeping from her."

Azumi's eyes narrowed. "Trust me, I believe that I've seen much worse than either of you," She was greeted with more laughter. Then prove it! Unless the 9 of you are the scared ones!"

Silence drifted for a moment until voice 8 gave another chuckle. "Then let's just see if you are as strong as you claim to be."

Azumi watched as the number 1 lit up before the wall disappeared and another cave path was before her. She glanced at the other numbers but none of them reacted the same way.

~So, only one at a time, huh?~ She turned back to the new path and stepped forward. It was dark, even with the torch in her hand; just like the rest of the cave. Everything was silent until a small crunch sounded under her feet. Pausing, Azumi glanced down to find…

~Sand? What's that doing here?~

Movement in the dark before her made her freeze, her heart thumping in her ears, but more from adrenaline than fear.

Slowly taking another step forward, Azumi continued in across the sand. The sand path was short; a large opening soon appeared before her. Closing her eyes, she stepped out into the large chamber and then opened them.

Her breath caught.

There was a large creature before her; a sand-colored Tanuki. It held dark blue vein-markings all over its face, body, a single tail, and held a jagged, concave mouth. The sclera of its eyes were black, containing yellow irises with pupils that both took the shape of a black, four-pointed star with four dots around it.

The power that was radiating off of the creature was strong, but familiar. It was almost like she had felt this power before…used it.

That's when she remembered it. This was the power that she had felt the day that the children had been kidnapped from the village! This was one of the ones that had told her to let them take care of it!

This was the First of the voices that she constantly heard in her head.

"Voiceless, I see." The large creature smirked.

Azumi shook her head. "No, it's just…you're not as bad as I thought you'd be. I didn't expect you to look like an animal."

"Oh? And just what were you expecting?" The Tanuki asked.

Trying to draw the subject away from what she had been fearing, she asked – "What's your name?"

The creature blinked. "My name?"

"Yeah. You have a name, don't you?"

"No I don't. None of us do."

"What? Do you all just call each other by numbers or something?" Azumi frowned.

What would we need names for? It's not like we're going to talk to anyone."

Azumi lifted a finger and waggled it. "Everyone, no matter who or what they are, needs a name." Shoving the torch into the sand to stand, she took a few steps towards the large creature. "Now, tell me about yourself." Azumi came to find out that the large, one-tailed creature looked comical when his mouth hung open. "What?" She asked.

"You have no idea who you are…who we are…do you?"

Azumi's grin fell and she sighed. "I…I want to ask everyone but…but I just can't. I've been seeing these moments during battles for years…since I met the Senju brothers…flashes of things that I've down when I was said to have been knocked out or poisoned or…It's weird but…why would they be hiding anything from me? They're my best friends, are they not?"

The Tanuki let out a laugh. Come here, Azumi." The creature's hand opened up, summoning her. She moved. She felt safe around this creature; despite his appearance and the situation. She sat down in the sandy palm of his hand. "I'm going to show you something. Something that had been erased from your mind years and years ago, understand?" She nodded. "Remembering it will drain your strength, but at least you'll know, correct?"

At this moment, Azumi didn't care. She just wanted to know. She wanted to know everything. She nodded, ready. The Tanuki's hand slowly closed over her and she closed her eyes.

_**The Sage off Six Paths was lying in his bed, his sons kneeling on the floor beside him. **__It was a few years after the incident with the Ten-Tailed Beast and the woman that had replaced Moka still lived with them, but as a sister and a daughter, not a Wife or Mother. It nearly tore the Sage apart, resulting in his bed-ridden sickness. The elder man did not have too much time left and so he had called his sons in to speak to them._

"_We cannot leave her the way she is," The Sage was talking about Moka. "The Ten-Tails could break out at any moment and take control like we've seen before so I have decided to name one of you as her guardian. She is still your mother, whether or not she remembers." The two sons nodded their heads, keeping silent with their heads down. The Sage placed a hand on the shoulder of his younger son."You were the one that erased her memory and she is also closest to you. You will be the one that has to take care of her."_

_Both brothers pulled faces; the younger was surprised, the elder was enraged._

"_Why him?" The Elder demanded. "Why can't I take care of her? We could use her power to bring peace throughout the land!"_

_The Sage shook his head with a sad laugh. "And that is why I cannot name you as my Successor, my son;" The elder's face paled. _

"_What?" His voice trembled._

"_Power is not the path to peace; your brother believes in the true path of love. That is why he will be my successor." The Sage began to cough. "And that is also while he'll take care of Moka."_

"_**What…what will we do now that the Sage is gone?" **__Moka's voice trembled as they stood over the new grave. The younger son stood beside her; the elder had refused to come see it. Moka had been told by the younger brother that he had been named his father's successor. She knew that the elder brother was enraged, and she began to wonder if he was going to react._

"_We'll continue on…just like we have before," The man put an arm around her for a one-armed hug. "We'll find a way to continue on without Father; the three of us will be just fine."_

_Moka turned back to the grave, a frown on her face. Her heart was crying out. She didn't know why, but she felt as if she had just lost someone very important to her. She didn't know what it was but there was always something behind the Sage's eyes when he would talk to her, when he looked at her, when they were together. The Sage loved being around her, and her the same with him. There was just something about him…that told her that they knew each other before she had woken up in that bed a few years ago. She could feel it in her heart that something had happened between them…she just couldn't figure out what it was. What was it?_

_**Moka didn't know what to think. **__The Brothers were fighting! The Elder refused to accept that his brother had been named their father's successor over him; and he wasn't going to accept it. The village was in chaos as Moka and Remora, a dear friend to the younger brother, hurried after the fighting men._

"_I will not let you have it all!" The elder was shouting. "I deserve it! Me! I worked hard for Father for everything! EVERYTHING! And he gives it all to you!"_

"_Brother, fighting is not going to change anything," The younger one said. "All you're doing is just proving his point as to why you weren't chosen as his successor nor the one to take care of mother!"_

_~Mother?~ Moka asked herself._

_The elder brother scowled. "I will take care of Mother just fine! I'm always with her! I'm the one that took care of her in the beginning when you and Father couldn't stand that her memories of us had been erased! I've kept the secret from her! Me! I've done everything for her! Not you! Not Father! ME!"_

"_Secrets?" Moka and Remora had stopped moving on the large field as the two brothers turned to face her. "What secrets? and what do you mean 'mother'? I thought that your mother had died years ago…"_

_The younger brother pulled a worried face as he shot his brother a look to keep him silent but it was ignored as the elder had a grin spread out across his face._

"_There's something that my father and brother have made me keep from you,"_

"_Don't!" his brother cried but a hit to the face knocked him back a few feet. Remora immediately went to him._

"_What are you talking about?" Moka asked him._

"_Years ago, my father and mother fought against a large, Ten-Tailed beast that was set up on destroying the village. They couldn't defeat it and so, our mother offered up her body as a cell for it. She was the first Jinchuriki, but with that, her memory was erased."_

"_No," Moka shook her head. _

"_She didn't remember anyone of us and so we took care of her as if she was a sister instead of our mother!" The man took a step towards her. "But it was too much for our father, watching the woman he loved see him as more of a Father then as the man that she loved. In the end he became sick and passed on."_

_Moka's face was horrified. This…this was all her fault! She caused all of this! Because she wasn't strong enough to hold back this…this monster that was inside of her! _

_Her head began to pound as she tried to calm herself down, but it didn't work. Her eyes soon rolled up into her head and her vision faded as a ferocious roar sounded from her mouth._

_The three figures in the field watched as the woman had a ferocious growl erupt from her mouth and a swirl of red chakra form around her._

"_Shit!" The elder said._

"_Good job," Remora frowned and then turned to the younger brother. "What do we do now?"_

"_Remora, you and my brother try to keep her busy while I erase it's memory again. It's all that we can do at the moment."_

_Both of them gave a nod and moved forward. The power that was emanating from the woman was great; it was making Remora's knees shake but she thought that she could handle it. _

_But she was wrong._

_She had tried to dodge out of one of the attacks but the demonized woman caught her foot…in her mouth._

"_No! Remora!" The younger brother cried out, watching as Moka's demonized face expanded, sucking the young woman's body into her mouth. He ran forward to try and save her but his brother held him back; fear on his own face. _

_Remora's body finally disappeared and the younger brother moved forward, his power to erase memories already ready to hit. If their father hadn't have been able to kill the Ten-Tailed beast then him and his brother wouldn't be able too, either._

_The bright light shone and as it faded, the brother's let their mouths drop open. It wasn't their mother's body there any longer…it was Remora's. The Ten-Tailed beast had absorbed the other woman's body! _

Azumi had light in her face again and her eyes opened. That explained some things. That was what happened after the first thing that she had seen. The woman had been possessed by the Ten-Tailed Beast and her memories were erased. Then the whole outbreak that she had just witnessed…what she still Moka? Or was she now Remora?

And…had that happened again since then? Did all of this mean that she…

No, she was just getting ahead of herself. She was tired and all of this was making her over think things. She had other things to think about at the moment.

She looked up at the Tanuki.

"Sh-Shukaku" Azumi whispered tiredly as she began to fade away.

"What?" The Tanuki asked.

"That's now your name," She smiled. "Shukaku."

He watched as she disappeared completely. "Shukaku, hmm?" He tested it on his tongue.

He grinned.

"**Madara! Izuna! Wait!"**

The Uchiha brothers turned from group that they were leaving with. The Senju brothers were with them as well and they all watched, but Azumi ignored them as she stopped before the Uchiha brothers, leaning over as she tried to catch her breath. She had gone to the Uchihas home to find them, but began to freak out in fear that they were gone before she could find them.

"What do you want?" Madara's voice was as cold as ever.

Izuna frowned. "What is it, Azumi?"

"I…I wanted to apologize for…for last night." She told them. "I shouldn't have pushed my nose into something that didn't involve me and…and what you did before I became involved, and even what you do now, has nothing to do with me." She gave a small grin as she straightened up. "I'm…I'm just glad that I caught you before you left." She looked at Madara. "And I'm especially sorry to you, Madara. I…I over reacted and-"

Madara stared at her for a moment as she struggled on how to word her feelings. He couldn't help it and placed a hand on her head. "It's all right," He felt strange saying this too her. He'd normally just scoff and walk away, not accept the apology. "I…I would have reacted the same if…if I had been in your…position." Azumi grinned at the man as Izuna gave his brother a praising look. Azumi opened her mouth to say something again, but she paused, closing it. Madara's eyebrows rose. "What is it?" He asked.

"Well…I'd…I'd rather you and your brother not go," She told him. "I…I want you to stay here with me, but I know that the two of you want this so, I won't stand in your way. Just…Just promise me that you'll both be okay and return, all right?"

Madara's eyes widened for just a moment as his hand fell back to his side. It was only there for a moment before his face turned back to it's emotionless form. "Of course we'll be back. I'll be Hokage, too and then you won't have to worry about us again."

"Liar," She giggled. "I'd have to worry about you even more then!"

As they talked, the others ignored them…except for the Senju brothers. Hashirama and Tobirama glared at the Uchihas, though neither of them or Azumi noticed.

"We'll be just fine, Azi," Izuna took a careful step forward and wrapped his arms around the young woman. "I'm glad you came…I wanted to…say goodbye before we left."

She closed her eyes. She wanted to tell him that she had been awake that night at the Inn, but she didn't want Madara to hear about what had happened. Something told her not to say anything in front of that man about anything involving another one; especially his younger brother but her body…it was telling her to take a step. She pulled back and looked into Izuna's face.

"You," She told him. "You'd better come back safe to, you hear me, Iza? There's…there's something that I want to talk to you about."

"To me?" The brother wounded surprised.

"Yeah," She nodded. "Something…something important but you're going to have to wait for it until you return, understand?"

Izuna was silent for a moment before…

Madara's eyes widened as he watched his younger brother kiss the woman before them. That was not something that he had ever expected to see happen with Azumi but what really made him mad…was that Azumi was returning it. She didn't pull back and freak out like the voice in the back of his mind was screaming for her to do. Watching his brother and her kiss made him grip his fists. He turned around and began to lead the way, leaving the two of them there.

The Senju brothers were watching, too. Their own anger could be felt as they watched. They had to do something about this…but just what?

Azumi couldn't help but smile and as the two of them pulled back from their kiss, she was breathless.

"When I come back," He told her. "I am going to tell you everything…everything."

Azumi nodded and squeezed his hand before turning him around and softly pushing him towards the group that was now leaving. "I know you will."

Izuna gave her another smile and she watched as they all walked away. She turned to move back towards her own home when she froze, her smile falling.

Madara had seen the kiss. As had the Senju brothers. She knew that the Senjus didn't like the Uchihas but that's not what concerned her. Madara was.

What was going to happen now between her and the two Uchiha brothers?

**The Song that I added here is something that makes me think of Azumi whenever I hear it. It is Pale by Within Temptation. It will be brought back further in the story, as well as another, and you will understand why better later on ;)**

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	15. Chapter 14

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**FYI: Just so you all know, the next few chapters are going to be meeting the Tailed-Demons and Memories. Madara and the others will be back soon though, I promise!**

**This Chapter is for UCHIHAXD :)**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Rin and Calryn**

**Shukaku was sitting in the center of the cave, waiting on Azumi later that night. **He told her that, one by one, the others would introduce themselves and a memory will be given to her about what happened to the 10-Tailed-Beast that had been mind-controlled by the Sage of Six Paths and his sons. It could only be one at a time due to the pressure it placed upon Azumi's mind and body, draining her strength. But, she was ready for it this time. She wanted to know everything.

"So," She looked at the giant Tanuki. "How do you like your name?"

Shukaku grinned. "A lot. The others are extremely jealous."

"Are not," Voice 5 replied.

"Are to." Voice 7 said softly, as if embarrassed.

Azumi laughed. "Don't worry! I'll get to you all in the next few days. I just hope that you all like the names that I give."

"Of course we will," Voice 6 assured her.

"All right, so who's next? Azumi glanced around at the numbers as she pushed Shukaku's tail off of her. The beast chuckled before he curled up in his little corner(lol).

"I suppose, if we're going in order, that would be me." Voice 2 responded to her. No one gave any objections so Azumi nodded in agreement. "Then come."

The Number 2 lit up with a blue light this time before the wall melted away in what seemed to be blue flames. Azumi glanced at Shukaku. He gave her a reassuring nod and she stepped forward into the path. She didn't need a torch this time since the blue flames lit up the walls as she walked. Since Shukaku's path had sand and this one is blue fire, will this one be on fire?

She didn't have to wait much longer to get the answer to her question.

The number two must have stood for 'Big-Ass-2-Tailed-Cat' because that's exactly what Azumi saw. It was a Bakeneko that was covered in wild blue flames; from it's paws to the tips of its two tails. Its eyes were pupil-less and the right eye was yellow while the left one was green.

So yes, this one was covered in blue flames.

"Hello," Azumi greeted with a small wave. The power of this one was strong too. Stronger than Shukaku's so it made her feel a little cautious but she quickly shoved that away.

"Good evening," The Large Feline replied. "I have to admit, talking to you face to face is better that from behind a wall."

"Yes," Azumi agreed with a nod. "And I'm glad that I finally know who I'm talking to."

The Cat looked surprised, but please that she was considered a 'who' rather than a 'what' like she had been expecting. "So, our forms do not frighten you?"

She shook her head. "Of course it's surprising the first moment I see you, but not frightening." She replied. ~Not yet, anyway~ She added to herself.

"Is that so?" The feminine voice chuckled. Azumi flushed, remembering that all these creatures could hear her thoughts. "So, just what was it that the Tanuki showed you last night?"

"You mean Shukaku?"

"Yes," The feline chuckled again. "Shukaku…"

"Well," As Azumi told her, the feline held a paw out to her like the first one had. She took a seat, her heart pounding in excitement as she was surprised that she wasn't being burnt from the blue flames as she sat; her clothes didn't catch either.

"Then let's just continue from where you left off, hmm?"

Azumi nodded and closed her eyes as the paw closed over her.

_**The Younger brother didn't know what to think at first, but rage erupted through him. **__Remora had just been taken from him! Just like his mother…just like his father…everyone he cared for was being taken from him! And it was all because of this…this…this thing! He wanted to destroy this thing…to kill it but he knew that he was nowhere near the strength to be able to. If his father wasn't he surely wasn't. There was only one thing that he could do. Remora's memories of him would be erased, he knew that…his betrothed would forget all about him and the life she had, but he had to or else the world would be in danger again. He would just have to remake the memories with her. He would be able to, right?_

_**Her head was pounding. **__She gripped it. Her throat burned. She swallowed. Her body felt like it was on fire. She stood. Memories flooded to her head. Her leaving home…running across a village…Something about a man called 'The Sage' and then there was something about a secret, but she couldn't remember that. She knew her name though._

_It was Remora._

_But she had no idea where she was or anything else after that. Moving toward the door, she placed her hand on the knob just to have it open. She jumped back. A young man stood before her dressed in white and brown. He wore a smile on his face but she could tell that he was hiding something._

"_Hello," He greeted. "It's good to see that you're awake."_

"_Where am I?"_

"_You're safe in my village. It's a good thing that we found you, too."_

"_Found me?" Remora raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"_

"_You don't remember?" He asked her in surprise. "My brother and I came across you in the forest. You were passed out in ripped clothes and bleeding. We feared the worst and brought you here."_

"_Uh-huh," Remora gazed down at him, thinking. There was something in the back of her head that was telling her he was lying, but why would he be doing that? He apparently saved her after all. And he was a cutie. She could trust him…as long as he didn't try anything, right? "Remora," She held a hand out to him. He raised an eyebrow. "It's my name. Remora."_

_It took a moment, but he smiled. "My name is-"_

**Azumi opened her eyes and leaned back.** She still had a little strength left in her as she came from the vision so she was going to stay for a little longer. ~So the Ten-Tailed Beast was fought over by the Sage's sons, hmm?~ She thought to herself. ~But what does any of this have to do with me?~

She rolled over on the paw of the cat and stared up at the creature. "Rin, what does any of this have to do with me?"

"Well, you see," The Cat paused. "What?"

"What does this have to do with me?" Azumi repeated to herself.

"No, before that." The Two-Tails said. "Rin?"

"Yeah, Rin!" Azumi grinned. "That's your name now! Shukaku told me that none of you have names and so I've decided to make one for all of you!" The look on Cat's face reminded Azumi of Kari when she was happily crying; but of course the Beast wasn't crying. "Do…do you not like it?" She frowned.

The Cat glanced at the wall. "Rin…" She tested it for a moment before glancing back at the woman with a large grin on her face. (Imagine the Cheshire Cat from Alice in wonderland just bigger, fang-y-er, coved in blue flames, and with Two-Tails, lol)

**It wasn't the same without the Senju brothers and the Uchiha brothers. **Kari was kept busy with her mother and there wasn't really much for Azumi to do during the day since nothing wrong seemed to want to take place.

"You know, just how many times am I going to have to do this?" She had taken a seat in the middle of the cave that held the 3-tailed-beast. So far this one, believe it or not, was the least strange. To her, anyway.

The Three-Tails kinda resembled a turtle but it held a crab-like shell with three, shrimp-like tails. It had a pair of human arms and hands but with no hind legs. Its right eye was closed; she had yet to see is open as if it was hurt. Its left eye was black.

The turtle gave her a slow look. "If you want to know everything…"

"I do!"

"…Then you'll have to come six more times after tonight."

Azumi sighed. "Yay…"

"Well, it's not like you have anything else to do, correct?" The Turtle asked.

"No, not really," She gazed at the large creature for a moment before standing. "All right…let's get this over with, Calryn."

"Calryn?" The turtle chuckled. "You come up with some of the strangest names. Rin is normal, but Shukaku and Calryn? Your imagination is vast."

"Thanks…I guess." She grinned. "So, are you ready to let me see what happens next?"

The turtle nodded and held out one of the hands to hold her. Like she had twice before all ready, she sat in the palm and let the fingers close over the top of her head as she closed her eyes.

_**Remora had been with the Sage Brothers for the last few years, living with them in the village as the younger brother ruled it. **__The older brother had left a few m months ago, no longer able to live around the village that his father had left in the hands of the younger brother. Remora felt that the elder wanted to always tell her something and he had started to multiple times before, but he always ended up changing his mind and not saying anything. Either that or his younger brother always came into the room, asking for his brother's or Remora's help._

_For some reason, Remora had developed a crush on the younger brother. She adored being around him and wanted to spend every moment with him, but he didn't seem to return her feelings; especially when Shiori came into the picture. The two of them were betrothed and it made Remora have to hide her feelings. She would feel horrible trying to…take Shiori's place in the younger brother's feelings. She probably wouldn't win, so it didn't matter. _

"_**GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!"**_

_Remora's scream sounded through to city. She, Shiori, and the younger brother had decided to visit the nearest city to bring back some things for their village. Shiori and the brother, now with his father's name "Sage", was at the festival that the City was holding. Remora had gone as well, but decided to leave when she realized that the festival was for lovers. She felt out of place and decided not to stay. She had been on her way back to the Inn they were staying at when a group of men decided to approach her. Remora wasn't really into fighting so she decided to just run but the men followed her and she was in some serious trouble now. _

_Pinned against the street wall by one man, she watched over the back of her shoulder as three more walked towards her, all sharing the same drunken look. Her head began to pound in fear but it got worse as hands began to rip and tear at her clothes and travel over her body. She screamed for help, but nothing came as she felt her panties be pulled down. She struggled, her headache growing worse in mere seconds. She cried, begging them to stop, but the moment she was penetrated, the moment her mind took control and she lost consciousness. _

(Let's just call the younger brother Sage2 for now, okay? I don't know his name and I don't want to mess it up, you know?)

_**Sage2 was the first to feel that power. **__That horrid power that had taken both his mother and Remora away from him. The ones around him took notice as well but he was the first to move, running to it as the city-inhabitants that hadn't gone to the festival began to scream and an enormous roar was let out._

"_What are we going to do?" Shiori cried out as she hurried after her man. _

"_Leave it to me," Sage2 told her. "I've done this before so I can handle it. But you," He stopped and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You stay here. I'm not going to let three of the most important people in my life be taken from me due to the Ten-Tailed-Beast." Shiori, knowing her lover's past history, nodded though she wanted to go with him. Normally she would but the power that was radiating from the area in the city made her knees shiver._

_It didn't take long for Sage2 to come across the being that he was looking for. He knew that Remora had been heading for the Inn to get some rest before they left the next morning but at the sight he walked on, he wished that he had gone with her. If he had then maybe something like this wouldn't have happened._

_Dead bodies littered the place, blood crawling through the streets as scared people continued to run away. His eyes instantly landed on the form of Remora. There was a swirl of red chakra around her as she was bent over a body, eating it. As Sage2 got a closer look he realized what the Ten-Tailed-Beast was soon to take form of._

_A 6-year-old child._

"**A child!"** Azumi pulled from Calryn's hand. "A child? How could she do that? To a child?"

The turtle began to chuckle. "There's nothing that could really be done. It is a demon, Azumi. It holds no thoughts on good a wrong; not at that time, anyway. When horrible things happen or it feels endangered it will loose control. If you were about to be raped, wouldn't you want to do anything to keep it from happening?"  
>Azumi stared down at the floor. "No," She answered softly.<p>

~But…what does all of this have to do with me? What does this have to do with us?~

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	16. Chapter 15

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Donji and Basktor**

**The village was in silence since the large group had left with the Senju and Uchiha Brothers.** It was known all around the village that Azumi had been left in control but the Uchihas didn't even come seek her out. Infact, she barely talked to anyone in the village. Her mind was full of reliving what the demons in her mind were telling her. Even as she lay there in the bath, she found herself pulling it back forward.

Azumi was smart, she already had an idea of what was going on…about what these Nine Creatures within her were, but she didn't want to believe it. She was going to keep lying to herself until…

Until she could confront the Senju brothers when they returned.

Rubbing a hand over her face, Azumi tilted her head back and closed her eyes, recalling the last two nights to her mind.

(As I've said before, I do not know the name of the Younger Son of the Sage of Six Paths, so I'm not going to give him a name because the next thing you know he is named and then I'll feel like an idiot so we're just going to refer to him as Sage2.)

**Azumi was sitting in the center of the room, staring up with a smile at the Tailed-Beast that stared down at her in silence. **She wasn't a big fan of monkeys but this one just gave her a feel of…something that she couldn't put into words. She felt…normal around him. Normal…that wasn't the right word that she felt but it was the only one that she could think of.

The Four-Tailed Beast was a monkey with the muscular body of a gorilla. His skin was green and its fur was red with a horn on its forehead. He had elongated canine teeth and spike-like intrusions on his four tails. His eyes were a stone brown as he glared down at her.

But Azumi wasn't nervous. She felt, as said before, normal as she sat before him. She was wearing a smile as she searched through her mind, trying to find a good name that would fit this giant monkey.

"Well," His voice was deep, but not like the 9th one. The 9th voice was the deepest of them all. "Are you just going to sit there or are you going to say something?"

"Do you not want to say something first?" Azumi asked him.

He frowned at her. "I'm not going to sit here and wait for you and let you just stare at me." The monkey turned around to do God-Knows-What in the other side of the room and Azumi couldn't help but chuckle.

This one had an attitude that she was going to have to deal with.

"I was kinda hoping that you would continue on with the story. You know, right where Calryn had stopped."

The Monkey turned back to her with a small grin on his face. Azumi barely had time to move or react before the creature lifted his hand and sent it slamming on top of her.

"_**Cut it out, Mom. **__You know that I can do this! Dad taught me, after all!"_

"_Well, if your Father, your brother, and Merona weren't going to be there with you then I would refuse to let you go." Shiori smiled as she set the brush down on the dresser. "I know you'll be fine. It's normal for a mother to be nervous as their children go out into their first battle. Can you blame me?"_

"_Yes," The young woman teased the one behind her._

"_Sakura," They both turned to see that Sage2, Shiori's husband and Sakura's father, stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. The man was older then he had been; grey hair now replacing the black he once had. "Don't tease your Mother like that." He grinned._

"_All right, Dad." The young woman grinned._

"_Come on; Tero and Merona are waiting." Sakura was on her feet in moments before she ran out of the room, Sage2 giving his wife a look before following the woman._

_Shiori clasped her hands together, praying, hoping that nothing was going to go wrong. She wanted her husband, her son, and then the child they had taken in as their own, to all come back to them. _

_**There was silence through the four of them; everyone was getting ready for the battle they were facing. **__A group of bandits had decided to steal something from Sage2. Sakura didn't know what it was exactly, but she didn't mind. She just wanted to grab the bandits and pay them back while her father grabbed what they had taken from him. Tero, her brother, was on her left side and Merona, her best friend, was to her right. The three of them made a wondrous team, though Tero was a few years younger than the two girls. He might have been younger, but he was stronger; though Sakura didn't like to admit it. Sakura would be the second strongest while Merona was the healer of the trio. _

_Sage2 brought the three of them to a stop just outside of the forest that the bandits were all hiding in, in the middle of the night. Sakura felt her knees quiver in excitement. This was going to be the first actual fight she had besides the training and practice that the three of them had down with each other. _

"_Listen and listen closely," Sage2 told them. "I'm not sure how many bandits there are and I'm not sure how strong they are. The three of you stick together and stay close to me. If you get separated, get to another person as fast as you can, understand?"_

"_You're being cautious, Father," Tero replied. "There's no need to act like that. You've seen the three of us. We'll do just fine on our own."_

"_Don't argue with me, Tero. Please, just not at this moment. Do as I say and everything will be all right." He grinned at his son. "The next fight, when it's not against people like this, I'll let you make the plans, all right?"_

_That seemed to cheer the young man up and he nodded. "Agreed."_

_**The battle was going fine. **__The three of them stayed closely together like they had been ordered too while Sage2 took on his own job. There were more than just a few bandits. It was like a whole freakin' village lived there in the forest and had been a part of the ones that had stolen from the village. Sakura made sure to stay with Tero and Merona as much as she possibly could but in the end she got dragged from the both of them. _

_By the hair too, and that was a no-no subject on her._

_She went into a rage as she beat the men off of her; a smile deciding to creep up on her face. The men that had dragged her away were soon in puddles and limbs at her feet._

_FYI: NEVER touch Sakura's hair._

_As she continued fighting, ignoring the others, Sakura felt so free, so alive, in the middle of the fighting. She was glad she had been brought and upset on why she hadn't come along to battles before. Any enemy that she laid her eyes upon was down in seconds…until she felt the blade pierce in through the side of her neck._

_Her laughter came to a halt and she turned her head as best she could to stare down at the man that had decided to stab her. He wore a large smirk on his face, a look of victory, until he noticed that something was wrong. _

_After all, people who normally were stabbed in the neck didn't turn and grin at you as their eyes lit up in a fiery red and black. The man tried to pull back, but it was too late._

_**The scream and burst of infamous and unwanted power came out together. **__Sage2 had already felt this fearful power four times before and he had hoped that he wouldn't have to endure it again before he died._

_Sage2 turned immediately and glared across the field. Sakura's body, like the others had been before, had the towering pillar of red chakra floating around her as she quickly took down the rest of the bandits. He turned to his son in anger._

"_That is why I told you to stay with her, Tero!" Sage2 growled. "Look what you've done! She's lost control! The 10-Tailed-Beast is taking over!"_

_Both the younger ones froze. Everyone knew about the 10-Tailed-Beast. Everyone knew that Sakura was the child that Sage2 and Shiori had taken in as their own when the last holder of the creature broke loose. And now that it was about to happen again…_

"_How do we stop it?" Merona cried; she couldn't take her eyes off of Sakura's body as she let out a roar and slashed the rest of the bandits before turning to face them._

_Sage2 gripped his hands together. "Pray," He replied. "Pray and hope that we can knock her back under control._

_**~Let your mind start you on a Journey**_

_**To a strange new world**_

_**Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before**_

_**Let your Soul take you where you long to be**_

_**Only then can you belong to me~  
><strong>_

**The hand was removed from the body and the Monkey pulled back, a smirk on his face.**

"You know what, you're a jerk!" Azumi growled as she pushed herself back up to her feet, brushing the dust from her. "What the hell was the point of that?" She demanded.

"It seemed like a simply task. You knew that it would be coming." The Money replied. "You've done it multiple times before so the fault does not fall onto me."

Azumi's eyes rolled. "Shut up, Donji. You're just being a jerk!" She yawned.

"Donji?" The monkey growled. "That's the best you could think of for me?"

She scowled at the large beast. This one was a bigger pain than either of the others had been so far. "Yeah, it is. You gotta problem with it?" She demanded as she began to fade away. The large creature glanced at her in anger until she disappeared. He then gave a smirk.

~Donji~ He told himself with a smile as he sat down to curl up for his own nap. ~Donji.~

"**You'd better not be a jerk like Donji was yesterday." **Azumi gave out a warning to the creature that stood before her. "Infact, I hope that none of you act like that in the future!"

"The 4-Tails is quite a pain," The feminine voice gave a chuckle.

"'Quite a pain'? He was unbelievable! Slamming his hand on me like that and then the way he acted! Next time I run into him I'm gonna-" She was cut off by the female voice laughing again and she turned back to it.

The creature with five tails was the oddest one that she had yet to see. It resembled the white horse but her head looked something like a dolphin with four horns; two long ones and two short ones. The tips of her horns, her hooves, and her tails were light brown with some spots here and there on the body. Her eyes were dark blue-green and held red markings under them.

"What's so funny?" Azumi asked.

"The Four-tails is one of the most irritable of us. I think only the 9-Tails can beat him at that. You get used to them after a while." The Horse-Dolphin chuckled.

Azumi grinned and stood up. "Yeah, I'm sure that Donji will grow…accustomed to me being around. And if he doesn't, well, I'll just make sure that he does."

"Donji's the name that you've given him, is it?"

Azumi looked surprised. "Yes. He didn't tell you?" She frowned. "You should have known. You're all inside my head, aren't you?"

"Oh, I wasn't asking his name. I was just…" She pulled a face. "Forgive me."

Azumi raised an eyebrow. This one was definitely different from the others. Moving forward, Azumi placed a hand on the creature's leg. "Please. There's nothing I need to forgive. You did nothing." She grinned. "Now, how about the next part of the tale, Basktor?"

The creature looked up at her with a smile on her face in silence for a moment. "I don't have hands like the others so you'll have to do the touching."

(XXXDDD! That sounds so wrong now that I go back and read it! Forgive me! LOL)

Azumi nodded and moved forward. "What do I do?"

The creature leaned forward and placed her her to the palm of Azumi's out-stretched hands.

Everything went black.

_**Tero stared down at his hands, tear swelling into his eye. **_

"_M…Merona! No! Why? WHY!"_

_Sage2 couldn't bring himself to look at his son. He knew the pain that he was feeling. Renora had been taken from him in just the same way. The 10-Tailed-Beast had eaten his betrothed all those years ago. He had to force himself to look at the creature that was once his lover as they 'became friends'. This beast was doing nothing but ruining everyone's lives, but they didn't know how to get rid of it! He had searched and searched for the answers to this riddle for years, but what he was looking for had decided to just fly around him; teasing him. He watched as his son held the woman that was once supposed to be his bride next year. He watched, and couldn't tear his eyes away as the rain began to fall._

"_**She's…she's still mine."**_

_Sage2 paused and glanced back at his son. "What?" He hadn't just heard that, had he?_

"_Merona…she's still mine."_

"_My son," Sage2 sighed, staring at the young man that was carrying the other body. "Merona is…her memories will be gone. She will not remember anything. They never do. Just-"_

"_I don't care!" Tero's fierce response cut off his father in surprise. Merona is Merona! If I have to recreate our memories together, then I will. If I have to live in a secret of some foul beast being inside of her, I don't care! I love her and I will not be letting go of her anytime soon!"_

"_Tero…"_

"_I won't let anyone, not even you, take her from me!" Tero lifted his head and stared into the eyes of his father. _

_Sage2 was taken aback. His son was much different. He was never fierce like this before, not even during practice or the battle that they were just in. The moment that Sakura's teeth were sunk into Merona's leg, his son changed from the battler he was to a crying young man and now…he had changed into something else. _

_Perhaps it was for the best though. Perhaps, when in love, the beast would be tamed…maybe. Would the new holder of the creature be able to fall in live, though?_

_**Merona buried her face into the shirt of her husband as they lowered her father-in-law into the dirt. **__Tero held his wife back, staring down at his father as the ran poured around them. For three years Sage2 had been telling his son that he was son going to be the man that had to take care of keeping the Beast a secret to everyone outside the village. The villagers had to know, but only when they were old enough, in case the creature broke free of its bonds and now…if it did…_

_Tero gave a glance to the woman hanging onto him. Merona was pouring tears, as was Shiori on his other side. If the 10-Tailed was to break free…that it was now Tero's job to take care of it; to erase its memories and keep it under control. But…would he be able to do it to Merona once again? He already had to re-teach her everything about the two of them once; would he be able to do it a second time?_

_Setting a strong face, the man lifted his head with a firm look._

_Tero was now leader of the village. He had to do everything to protect it and keep to the word that he promised his father all those years ago. _

_If he had to earn Merona's love a third time, then he would do it without a doubt._

_**~Can't you hear the choir now?**_

_**Listen to the anthems we sing!**_

_**Can't you hear the slaughter house bells?**_

_**In the land of the Pigs**_

_**The Butcher is King!~**_

"**He still loved her," **Azumi pulled back from Basktor, a tear in her eye. "Even after she had taken hold of the Creature…and lost all memories of him, he still wanted her. He still took her!" She whipped her eyes. "He didn't care about any of it! He just loved her! Nothing else mattered! He went through such time and effort to keep her and give her new memories to replace the ones that he been taken! How romantic!"

"Yes," Basktor nodded her head. "True love like that is heard to find in these days…" The creature then pulled a look, almost as if she wasn't supposed to have said that.

"What is it?" She asked in confusion. The creature did not reply.

Azumi knew that she was tired, about to faint, just like always, but she didn't want to. She wanted to stay here and talk, but she could feel herself slipping. She couldn't fight it, no matter how much she wanted to or tried. So she just raised a hand and gave Basktor a wave of farewell before she felt herself drift away as the cave and rocks around her all faded to black and silence.

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	17. Chapter 16

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**I know that it's been a while since my last update and I'm sorry, but everything is back to normal so it won't ever take that long again, I swear! One chapter a week at least. Maybe two depending on how much work I have from school and the office! Thank you for coming back! So, here's a LONG Chapter as an apology!**

**For Kath (), I am so sorry that the story is confusing you! These are what happened to the previous Bearers of the Beasts. Instead of the Sage of Six Paths separating them, he and his descendants are taking care of the Bearers, making sure that they don't lose control. Don't worry, everything is almost done. Trust me, the beasts are about to be separated from Azumi so everything's about to make sense, I promise!**

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Musktell, Karnel, and Octine**

"**Auntie Azi! Auntie Azi!" **Azumi turned from the small garden at her feet to see Tsuki and Kari running towards her with smiles. She was jumped on, knocking her onto the ground. She couldn't help but laugh.

"What is it, girls? Did Mito make those brownies again?" She asked.

"No!" Tsuki giggled. "We got a letter from Daddy! He and the others are on their way home! Daddy won! Daddy's the Hokage! They'll be here for a couple of days! We should throw him a party!"

Azumi hid her frown. Hashirama had won and was named the Hokage. Madara and Izuna are probably pissed as hell! She was a bit nervous about what would happen when they all returned, but there was nothing that she could do about that. She had been thinking about the way she had reacted the last time that they had talked. She still felt like she needed to apologize to Madara for her actions. She would feel better when she did and so that was the first thing she was going to say to the older Uchiha brother.

She felt like she wanted to apologize to Madara for kissing Izuna as well, but how was she going to bring that up? Why should she be bringing that up? It would be best if she just stay silent and didn't even think about it.

But that was kind of hard.

"Auntie?" Kari sat up, staring down at the woman. "Are you all right?"

Azumi pulled her mind out of her thoughts and sat up. The girls moved off of her and she nodded with a smile. "Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"We should make Daddy a party for when he comes home! He's Leader now!"

"It's also going to be Izuna's birthday," Kari added. "We should do something for him, too."

Azumi smiled. She had almost forgotten about that. What should she do for Izuna's birthday? Madara's birthday was the day before Christmas, so the two masks that she had given him were half Christmas, half birthday; that's why there were two, after all. He just didn't get a cake from her or a 'Happy Birthday' wish.

But what should she get for Izuna?

Tsuki frowned. "Daddy doesn't like the Uchiha brothers. I heard him and Mommy talking about them before he left."

Azumi leaned forward. "What were they saying?"

"Daddy said that Izuna was getting involved with something. Something that he shouldn't be. He doesn't like that the two of you enjoy being around them, either. Especially you, Auntie." Tsuki began to draw circles in the dirt.

Azumi smiled down at the child. Neither of them should be involved with what was going on and so it was her job to keep them from it. "Come on," She stood up and grabbed their hands, pulling them after her. "Let's plan out your father's party;" She looked at Kari. "And Izuna's."

_**~The world seems not the same,**_

_**Though I know nothing has changed.**_

_**It's all my state of mind,**_

_**I can't leave it all behind.**_

_**I have to stand up to be stronger.~**_

**Later that night, Azumi found herself back in the cave again. **The five Tailed –Beasts that she had already met were in the large cave now, talking to each other while the last 4 were still hidden. There wasn't much talking done here(since they constantly sounded in her head) and so she just hurried to meet the next tailed-beast herself. The sooner this was done tonight, the sooner she could get to sleep and wake up the next day to start setting up the two parties that she and the girls had planned out.

The Six-Tails was definitely not something that Azumi saw to be a powerful creature talking in her mind. In fact, she didn't want to normally have anything to do with this thing, but she held her feelings inside. The Six-Tails was a large, chubby white snail with small arms and feet. It held two prominent tentacles with its eyes on the end of them and hole-like openings in its mouth. Azumi saw the slime-like substance on its back and had a shiver run down her back at the thought of it touching her like the others had to.

"It's…nice to meet you, Azumi." The male voice was slow, thinking about just what he should say to her, exactly.

"It's uh, it's nice to meet you too." She gave him a glance and then sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just…after seeing the other five I wasn't expecting a snail." She then flushed. "Don't get me wrong. I understand what you mean," The awkward silence returned for a few minutes and Azumi hid her smile. Though she didn't like slugs, this one was adorable. "What…plans…do you have for the Uchiha's present?" the creature asked.

Azumi hadn't been expecting that and it made her feel more at ease. They talked for a little while, both of them growing at ease with the other and soon, Azumi wore a smile as she sat down on one of the boulders in the cave. She would like to talk some more, but she was here on a job and so she had to get through it. But first, she had to give the white snail a name.

It only took a few moments for the name to pop up in Azumi's head.

"Musktell," She looked at the slug. "That's what I'm going to start calling you."

The creature looked at the wall for a moment, thinking. "You come up with the strangest names, Azumi. I was expecting something like…Sasuke or Neji or-"

"Something normal?"

"Yes," Musktell's eyes flopped around as the creature nodded. "But it doesn't really matter." He moved closer to the woman sitting on the rock and leaned his head down. "Shall we?"

Azumi nodded and lifted her hands. Musktell leaned forward and connected with her.

_**~Drink up baby doll**_

_**Are you in or are you out?**_

_**Leave your things behind**_

_**'Cause it's all going off without you**_

_**Excuse me too busy you're writing your tragedy**_

_**These mishaps**_

_**You bubble-wrap**_

_**When you've no idea what you're like~**_

_**Tero ran his hand over his face. **__The time was up. For 30 years he and Merona had been married. They had three kids and were the leaders of the village that Sage2 had left them. Nothing had happened. Merona had not lost her control once over the Tailed-Beast and so peace was perfect. _

_And that was what the problem was. _

_Thirty years ago, Merona was young. She's now almost 60. Her body was growing weaker and so the Beast was going to have more of a chance to break free. A new holder was going to have to be brought forward to take the Tailed-Beast. Tero had been searching for a way to destroy the Beast, but to no avail. But there was no one that had come forward to take on the task, except…_

_Except for Hiyori. _

_Hiyori, their only daughter, was their youngest child. She was considered to be the strange one of the three children, but she was also Merona's favorite; though Merona refused to admit it. The children were told Merona's secret the day they hit 16. The sons, Van and Rai, avoided their mother for a while before they put their thoughts behind them and things went back to the way they were before. _

_But Hiyori…Hiyori never reacted. Everything stayed the same, not once changing. It seemed that Hiyori didn't care. Merona was her mother so being in possession of a monster in secret didn't seem to bother the daughter._

_And now she was offering herself to be the one that took the Beast from her mother. Good or bad, Tero wasn't sure, but she was the only one that was willing to take part in the task. For some reason, Treo didn't like the thought of his daughter also being used to deal with the cursed monster, but what could he do? The others were afraid of it even being near Merona at this time now that she was getting older. _

_And Merona was beginning to notice it._

_But Tero was making sure that nothing went wrong. He was around her as often as he could be, hugging her, kissing her. Talking to her. He didn't want to lose her, but he swore that he would go with her. Right after he replaced the beast into Hiyori._

"_**You…you have to take care of her now, boys." **__Tero's voice was weak and trembling as he knelt on the ground, holding Merona's body to his as Van and Rai sat on either side of their sister. "You're…you're all she's going to have, now."_

_Van closed his eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling(and failing) while Rai gave a nod with a solemn look. The problem with using the jutsu to erase the memories of the Beast-Holders is that it is very strong and very hard, and old age does not cope well with that. Not when you're three years from being 100._

_The way Van and Rai were seeing it, was that they just lost all three members of their family in less than an hour. Van could barely stand it and Rai…Rai was doing his best to disguise it until later that night._

"_We'll…we'll take care of her, Father," Van assured the elderly man next to them. "We'll make sure that nothing…nothing horrible happens! She'll be able to live, just like Mother did! We promise!"_

_Tero smiled at his sons, knowing that they would do as they said. Now he had no worries and as he gripped the woman's body to his, slowly passing to sleep…_

_**~So, let go, let go**_

_**Jump in**_

_**Oh well, what you waiting for?**_

_**It's all right**_

_**'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown**_

_**So, let go, let go**_

_**Just get in**_

_**Oh, it's so amazing here**_

_**It's all right**_

_**'cause there's beauty in the breakdown~**_

"**So, Hiyori thought that taking the Tailed-Beast from her mother was an honor?"** Azumi opened her eyes.

Musktell backed up from her and made his way to the other side of the cave. "Yes. She found her mother to be a warrior that was doing all she could to save the world from the power of the Beasts. She felt that that was a honor that she should take from her mother."

Azumi sighed. So many questions were rolling in her mind, but which one to start with? "Some people…some people can be so selfless. I don't think that anyone I know would be willing to do that. Not even…even me."

Musktell looked at the woman, a smile on his face. "Why don't you just ask?" He questioned and she lifted her head to face him. "We all know that you know the truth. Why not say it aloud?"

She lowered her head with a sad smile. "I know it might sound foolish, but I don't want to talk about it until I…I hear from the brothers. I know that's such a childish thing to hope and that I'm just being foolish and denying the truth but…but I have to hear it from the Senjus! I just have to keep that sliver of hope that I'm just crazy to have you nine in my head."

Musktell's smile was soft now; and pitiful. "Do as you like. And though it may not be the answer that you wish for, I will respect your decision and wait to…talk any more about this to you. The others though, especially number nine, might not be as lenient."

Azumi gave the white creature a smile as she began to leave like she had from the others.

_**~It gains the more it gives**_

_**And then it rises with the fall**_

_**So hand me that remote**_

_**Can't you see that all that stuff's a sideshow?**_

_**Such boundless pleasure**_

_**We've no time for later**_

_**Now you can't await**_

_**your own arrival**_

_**you've twenty seconds to comply~**_

**The next day of setting up the party was more tiring than Azumi had been expecting it would be.** Or maybe that was because she had two five-year-old girls running around with streamers and chasing each other. She actually just wanted a normal sleep tonight but it seemed her 'little friends' weren't going to let her have that she was now in another part of the large cave of her mind, staring at the next creature that hid in her dark corners.

The Seven-Tails was…a LITTLE better than the six-tailed one. At least this one wasn't covered in slime. This time it was a sort of beetle with six of its tails resembling green insect wings growing out of its abdomen. Its seventh tail was normal and growing in its abdomen as well. Its eyes were covered by a sort of knight-helmet-skull with spike protrusions on its shoulders and three on each of its six legs.

She sighed and sat on the ground, leaning her back against the wall. "Hello," She gave a wave at the creature. She couldn't tell if it was looking at her or…what it was looking at. She couldn't see its eyes.

"You give us greetings?" His voice sounded confused.

"And names, or had you forgotten?"

"Fortunately," The creature sighed, turning his head. "And now remember, unfortunately." Azumi placed a hand over her mouth as she giggled. Maybe a visit tonight wasn't so bad after all. "What are you laughing at?" The voice grumbled.

"Nothing," She shook her head. "Just…" She paused for a moment, thinking, before glancing back up at the beetle-creature. "What would you like to be called?" Azumi asked. "What would you like your name to be?"

"You want me to choose?" That made his voice sound surprised.

"You can if you want to. What would you call yourself?"

After a few moments…"Karnel." Azumi grinned at the beetle. "You can call me Karnel."

"Oh, I actually kinda like that name," She replied. "Better than something I would have come up with for you. You would have ended up as 'Kabuterimon' or something like that."

(XXDD! I'm sorry guys; I couldn't help it the moment I found out that the 7-Tails was a beetle! And if you don't know who Kabuterimon is then that's just a shame! The first person that can tell me who he is and where he's from in a review will get something special in the next chapter!)

The beetle titled his head. "Kabu-whatta?"

"Nothing." Azumi giggled and stood up. "So, how are we going to do this? Am I touching you or are you touching me?" (OMG that sounded so wrong on the re-read, lol)

Karnel was silent for a moment before he held out one of his long, skinny hands. She grinned before taking a step forward and taking it in her own.

_**~So, let go, so let go**_

_**Jump in**_

_**Oh well, what you waiting for?**_

_**It's alright**_

_**'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown**_

_**So, let go, yeah let go**_

_**Just get in**_

_**Oh, it's so amazing here**_

_**It's all right**_

_**'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown~**_

"_**Stop! Get back here, Hiyori!"**_

_The young woman looked over her shoulder with a teasing grin. "Gotta catch me first!" She called back as she continued to jump through the trees with Van chasing after her. She wasn't going to let her brother catch her and she definitely wasn't going to give back that woman's wedding dress!_

_But at the same time, Hiyori knew that her brother would catch her, but she didn't want this to happen. She hated that woman and to think that she was about to wrap her finger around her brother was making her sick. _

_Van suddenly appeared before Hiyori, grabbing her shoulders and making her stop. She frowned and refused to lock eyes with him._

"_You can't keep doing this, Hiyori. Rai is starting to get annoyed with this. The first few times it was normal, but now, on the wedding day, it's too extreme."_

_Hiyori crossed her arms. "Well I don't care. She's not right for Rai! I don't like her! They're getting married because of her parents! It's not right to force people together like this! You've got to find love on your own!"_

_Van gave another sigh and took the dress from his sister's arms. "I know how you feel, Hiyori. I feel the same, but this has nothing to do with us. Rai accepted the motion so we have no say in this."_

"_Why!" She demanded. "Why? Because he's the leader of the village he has to do what the people want? Years down the road he could find someone that makes him whole and complete but he has to throw it away because the Village needs him to be married now? He's only 24! He's got so much time ahead of him!"_

_Van gave a small smile. "Just like mother," He told himself softly. "There's nothing that you can do, Hiyori. Akora is growing tired of this. She wants to put a stop to this. I'm afraid that if you continue with this then this is going to end in a horrible way." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Everything happens for a reason, Hiyo," He used his nickname for her and she sighed herself. "Rai and Akora might be meant for each other and come together further into their lives; we don't know yet. Everything might turn out for the better of it! Just…just settle down and watch and…and things might get better."_

_Hiyori sighed again and hung her head. "All right, but just this once and just for you, Van." She turned and began to head back to the village. "I'll give her three years. If nothing changes, I'll do…something."_

_Van shook his head with a silent laugh as he followed her. "I'm sure that you would."_

_**The doors burst open and Hiyori's middle-aged form entered. **_

"_Are they all right?" The woman demanded, glancing around the room. There were four people there. Van, Rai, and then Akora. And Rai was holding a child in his arms. As her eyes landed on the small child in her brother's arm, she felt a wave of relief wash over her._

_Van had been right. It had been three years since Rai and Akora had been married and it turned out that they were a perfect match for each other. She felt foolish about her actions; Akora actually turned out to be someone that Hiyori loved as a sister and were best friends now. Akora had forgiven her, claiming that she knew how she felt, so everything was good with that family of four._

_And now was the day that they had been looking forward to. And she had missed the entire thing due to some stupid mission!_

"_Would you like to hold your nephew, Hiyo?" Rai smiled at his sister._

_It only took seconds for the young woman to hurry across the room to the man sitting by the bed, her arms reaching out for the baby. The three of them chuckled as they watched her. _

_Hiyori stared down to the baby in her arms. The tiny little thing was sleeping, his tufts of dark hair sticking up all over the place. She smiled, a warm feeling inside of her going off._

"_Have you thought of a name?" She asked._

"_Of course," Rai and Akora looked at each other with a smile before saying the name together. "Hashirama Senju."_

_**~So, let go,**_

_**Jump in**_

_**Oh well, what you waiting for?**_

_**It's alright**_

_**'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown~**_

"**So, that's Hashirama and Tobirama's parents, is it?"** Azumi asked as Karnel let go of her hand.

"Yes. They passed before you were brought into the picture." He then paused. "Technically."

Her eyebrows rose. "Technically?" She asked.

She swore that the beetle grinned. "You'll understand soon enough."

She sighed. "I hope so.

_**~So, let go, yeah let go**_

_**Just get in**_

_**Oh, it's so amazing here**_

_**It's all right**_

_**'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown~**_

**The Eight-tailed was yet another strange Beast, but then again, it seemed that all of them were turning out to be weird-looking.** Azumi should just give up her hopes for a cute little fox while she could. The Ninth one was going to be the weirdest looking of them all (oh, if only she knew, right guys? LOL)

The eight-tailed creature was an ox-wannabe with four long horns on its head with a fifth one on its chin. It held a muscular body structure(with a hunched back mush like a Bison), arms with more spiked protrusions on the elbows and hands with opposable thumbs like that of a human. It held no hind legs, but its eight tails were in the form of the arms of an octopus. Figures, seeming as how he definitely reached the size of a giant squid.

This creature turned out to be another male, so she was kinda hoping that the final Beast was going to be a female. She knew that was pointless though since she had heard the 9th voice already and that was the deepest of them all. 7 male and only 3 female? What was wrong with this picture?

"So, only one more after you, hmm?" She voiced. The creature stayed silent. "Oh, great. Let me guess, you and Donji are a good set of friends, aren't you?" Still, nothing came out as a reply but there was an annoyed look on his face and she took a step back, getting another good look at the creature before her. "You look like a squid so I'm going to call you…Octine!" She grinned.

That got her a reply. "Well that's a stupid name." The creature finally decided to talk.

"Then it should fit you." She giggled. "An Ox and a Squid mixed together? That's worse than the Slug!"

The two of them stared for a moment before a deep laugh burst from Octine. "I take it you're not a fan of sushi."

"Hell no!" Azumi cried and then giggled herself. "I'm not a big fish fan period, actually.

The creature tilted his head for a moment, thinking, before she frowned at the smirk on his face. The next second, one of the tentacles shot out at her, making her jump back but it was too fast. Azumi shuddered as the tentacle curled around her and she glared up at the tailed beast.

"You're doing this on purpose."

The grin that Octine gave her told her that she was right.

_**~In the breakdown**_

_**'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown**_

_**The breakdown~**_

"_**Aunt Hiyori!"**__ The elder woman in question turned and a smile broke out across her face at the sight of her two nephews. They had been on a mission for well over a month now and she had missed them greatly._

"_Hashi," She called their nicknames. "Tobi. It's good to see you again! How did the mission go?"_

"_It went well," The dark-haired, older brother replied as he came to a halt in front of his Aunt with a smile. "We have saved the Hyuugas from those foul Uchihas."_

"_It's sad," The white-haired, younger brother shook his head. "They always choose to attack when the Hyuugas soldiers are gone off on their own missions."_

"_They won't have to worry about that anymore though," Hashirama said. "Especially not Azumi, right Tobirama?"_

_The younger brother flushed and Hiyori's eyebrows rose. "Who's Azumi?"_

"_Azumi is the daughter of the leader of the Hyuugas. Tobirama seems to have a little crush on her. He nearly ripped the Uchiha that cut her to shreds."_

_Hiyori grinned. "Awww, such a cute little crush. Too bad I wasn't there." She gave a sigh. "So, when are they joining us?"_

"_They'll actually be here in the next few days," Tobirama sounded giddy and then flushed when he realized it. Hiyori giggled. _

"_I can't wait to see this young woman," She told her nephew. "Go see your parents. They'll be glad that you're back. I'll see the two of you again later."_

_The brother nodded before hurrying off to their home. _

_Hiyori watched after them, frowning. It was of no ill will towards her family and friends, but she felt…alone. Here was a 54-year-old woman that had nothing anymore. Van had died two years ago, and though she still had Rai, she still felt alone. Rai had a family to deal with now, as well as the village. Van was just like Hiyori. He didn't have a wife or children. He had stayed with his sister since she could remember while Rai went off with his other duties._

_Don't get Hiyori wring, she loved the family she had, but without Van now…she just felt empty._

_**There were two things that Hiyori LOVED about the event of the introduction of the Hyuugas to the Senjus. **__One: The Hyuugas were interesting____people in both form and character. She instantly found herself on friendly terms with the wife of the Hyuuga Head. They were laughing and talking the moment they met. Two: Both of those women were enjoying the actions between Tobirama and the Hyuuga's daughter, Azumi. _

_The two women watched for a little while until Tobirama grabbed his Aunt and dragged her over to the part of the table that the three of them, Hashirama included, were sitting at._

"_Azumi, this is our Aunt, Hiyori." Tobirama decided to announce. _

_The Hyuuga turned from the conversation she was taking part in with Hashirama and looked the elder woman over. Hiyori did the same._

_Azumi appeared to be at the age of 15 with long black hair and barely colored eyes of the Hyuugas. She was dressed in a pale purple kimono with pearls in her ears. Normally Hiyori would have been find but something…something just didn't feel right. It wasn't like what she had felt with Akora when she and Rai went to get married all those years ago. It was something else. And something much worse. _

_But what was it and why was she feeling like this?_

"_So you're the young one that the brothers were telling me about, are you?" She grinned and held her hand out. She let it drop though when Azumi didn't take it back. She took notice of the worried look on the Senju brothers faces as they shared a glance._

"_Oh, I know you," Azumi gave a grin. "Tobirama has told me everything about you."_

_Hiyori just smiled but for some reason, she felt that there was a secret meaning behind the voice and the look that the young Hyuuga gave her._

_What the hell was going on?_

_**~So amazing here**_

_**'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown~**_

**Azumi sat up, cold sweat on her skin again**. She was shaking. Her eyes were burning. She wasn't going to be able to take this anymore. She needed to know the truth. Now! They boys were returning tomorrow. There was going to be the party for Hashirama and the party for Izuna. She would give the Senjus that long but no more after that. She feared the truth but she also needed it. She already knew it, but she needed to hear it from the brothers. The Uchihas were probably going to be there to and she suddenly felt herself glad for that. She was going to need someone to hold her up when the truth from the Senjus' mouths hit her and she knew that she could count on the Uchiha brothers.

Maybe…

Hopefully…

Azumi sighed and fell back on her pillows, staring up at the ceiling. ~I'm getting tired of this~

**Okay, Madara and the others return in the next chapter, so get ready for it! The real fun is about to start and I'm sorry that it took so long!**

**Oh, and don't forget about the challenge with the 7-Tails! :D**

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	18. Chapter 17

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Tia Minx, Yami Yugi, since the two of you were the ones that answered the question from the previous chapter, you get something special here. I hope you like it.**

**And for those who love Izuna…well…**

_**Chapter Seventeen**_

_**Somewhere**_

**All morning, Azumi's mind had been off track.** She was in front of the Hyuuga home, staring off into space. She was supposed to be watching the children play while the others were busy, but her mind was somewhere else. Kari and Tsuki were playing with a few other Hyuugas and another set of Uchihas, believe it or not. The Uchihas had begun to join in with the rest of them now that they had lived together for a few months. Everything within the people of the village was going good.

But inside her mind, everything was a wreck. She wanted to talk to the Nine-Tails last night, but she had been ignored. The other Tailed-Beasts didn't seem to know why, but she could tell that that was a lie. The Ninth didn't deem her ready yet, according to Donji, the cruel monkey. He was the only one that had told her anything.

"Take that!" Azumi turned to see the sisters, Tia Minx and Yami Yugi(Weird name for sisters, right? XD) before her. Tia had Yami pinned to the ground, the palm of her right hand against her sister's forehead. "Your memory is now erased! We found you in the forest and you know nothing but your name, which will be…Hiyori!"

Azumi was on her feet in seconds, the unnoticed book that Izuna had given her falling to the ground. She grabbed Tia by the shoulders and dragged her away from her sister. She knelt down and stared into her eyes that had grown wide in fear.

"Where did you hear that name? Where did you learn any of that?" Her voice was frantic as the girl stared up at her in fear. Azumi was pushed off balance and she sat up, turning to see that Yami was the one that pushed her over and away from her sister.

"Leave her alone! You're scaring her!" Yami had enwrapped her arms around her twin and was holding her closely. "We heard it from Mother! They talk about a woman named Hiyori all the time and he losing her memory from some sort of jutsu! It's a bedtime story!"

Azumi's hands began to shake as she cradled her face in them, trying to keep her emotions under control. When she had, she looked up to see the Uchiha sisters still standing there. She smiled.

"I'm sorry Tia," She told the child. "I'm a little on edge today, hoping for the Senjus and the others to return safely. I didn't mean to scare you. Do you forgive me?"

The child thought for a moment as Yami dropped her arms before they shared a look, smiled, and jumped on the woman before them. They were then joined by the other four children they had been with and Azumi couldn't help but feel better as she laughed and began to tickle the little monsters on top of her.

"I can't wait for Uncle Izuna to get back!" Kari grinned as she sat on Azumi's stomach. "I hope he's surprised with his party!"

"You made a party for Lord Izuna?" Tia asked in surprise. "Can we come? Can we come?" The sisters asked together.

Azumi sat up to see that it wasn't just the Uchiha sisters that were asking to come. All the kids with her were. It seemed that it wasn't just Kari and Azumi that found Izuna to be enjoyable.

"Of course you can. All of you can. It's after the party for the warriors returning. I'll escort you there if you parents say it's all right."

After cheers, the children returned to playing in the field and Azumi turned to the book that she had dropped. She gave a smile as she picked it up. Izuna had given her this around the time of Christmas. She had read the story multiple times now since the Uchiha brothers had left. She seemed to be closer to them when she read it, and the tale of the boy wanting to be with family…she could relate to him since she began to…learn the things the Beasts in her mind were telling her. She felt so alone now, but at the same time not alone. Does that make any sense? She didn't know, and in fact, she didn't care. Not at the moment, anyway.

"Azumi! Tsuki!" All the heads turned to see Mito running to them with a smile. "They're back!"

Azumi felt relief burst through her as Kari jumped up onto her back. "Let's go, Auntie Azi! I wanna see Uncle Iza and Uncle Mada!"

Azumi stood up with a smile as she moved after the running children. They soon came into contact with the rest of the Village that were making their way to the gates to see the warriors returning. As she watched the group leak through, she was searching through the crown for the Uchiha brothers. She wanted to apologize again, and that was the first thing that she was going to do when her eyes landed on Madara. But…she didn't see them first. Instead, she found the Senju brothers walking towards her. Setting Kari down to the ground and grasping her hand, she grinned. She was happy to see them again, too.

"Congratulations, Hashirama. The Hokage title. You should be proud of him, Tobirama."

The man in red smiled and laughed at her as Tobirama grinned himself. "I am. Very much so," The white-haired man agreed. "But if he does anything wrong, you can guarantee that I'll be there to fix it for him. How was the village while we were gone?" He asked as his brother was jumped on by his wife and child. "Everything was simple," She answered, her eyes still gazing through the crowd. "Good and calm. Nothing was wrong. The Uchihas are fitting in quite well with the rest of us. It's pleasing to know that. Speaking of Uchihas, where are the brothers?"

Hashirama set his wife down and the brothers shared a look. "Azumi," the elder sighed. "I'm sorry."

Azumi looked at him in confusion. "What are you sorry for?" She didn't understand him at first, but as she looked between the looks on the Senjus' faces it dawned on her. "No," She shook her head. "No." She said firmly.

"Azumi," Tobirama tried to grab her but she pulled away, her eyes searching.

She quickly found them now that the others had found their families. They were the only two not walking towards anyone in the crowd. Madara was carrying Izuna on his back. She froze, staring at them. Madara seemed to sense her and glanced up. She stared into his eyes for a moment but it broke when he clenched his teeth and looked away as he continued to walk on with his brother's body on his back.

"Auntie Azi," Kari was still holding Azumi's hand as she stared after the Uchiha. "What's wrong with Uncle Iza? Is he hurt?"

Azumi felt the tear swell up in her eyes as stared after them. "No…He…I," She felt a sudden pain swirl in her chest; anger was mixed in and she let go of Kari and turned away, stumbling off on her own. Neither Kari nor the Senju brothers moved after her. Tobirama must have told Kari what was wrong because as she stumbled into the trees Azumi could hear Kari's shouts and cries following her.

Izuna…he was dead…dead! He had died over some stupid contest to become leader of the village! She should have stopped him! It was all her fault! She should have gone with them! She could have protected him! He promised that he would come back and tell her everything, but he can't…not anymore. He had left her.

The world began to swirl around her; she felt her control slipping as she listened to the 9-Beasts roar and growl in her head. She felt her control slipping. She watched as a rad chakra began to poor off of her body in loads; the grass around her began to curl up into black ashes, as if being burnt as the chakra touched them. Her fingers turned into claws as she felt fangs grow from her mouth and she buried her face in her hands as the tears overflowed.

He had left her! He was gone! She would never get to sit in that room and talk with him ever again! She would never get to laugh with him! She would never get to touch him! She would never get to…to…

"_Azumi_," The deep voice made her freeze as everything in her head went silent. It was the voice of the 9-Tails. "_Calm yourself_."

"But…he's gone! I'll…I'll never get to…how can I just calm down? I…I," She shook her head as the tears flooded her face. She what? What had Izuna been to her? She gripped her eyes closed even more. "I loved him!" She shouted. "And now he's gone! He's gone before I could ever tell him! Why? Why!"

The 9-Tails gave a sigh. "_Do you want to lose control and destroy everything that Izuna wanted to protect? If you let this take hold of you, then everything that man had tried to do for you will be for nothing. Calm down…for him."_

"But-" She could feel the fangs and claws retracting as the tears continued falling. "What do I do now?"

There was silence for a moment. _"Do not live in despair. Everyone dies. In the end, so will you. So will I. Everything does. You will see him again, Azumi. All you have to do is wait. You are not the only one in pain. Losing control now would just prove how foolish you are. Someone else needs you and though he would not like to admit it, he will welcome you."_

**The house was in shambles. **Vases broken. Glass shattered. Chairs thrown through walls. Windows cracked. The only room that had not been touched was Izuna's. As Azumi paused in front of the room, she saw that everything she and Kari had set up in there for Izuna's birthday party hadn't been touched and his library was still standing.

Looking into that room made her see images of her and Izuna as they sat there and talked; even Madara had joined them several times. Others were as Kari slept in her lap as she read to the child and the blind man. Izuna always claimed to love her reading to him and she loved to do it, but now…

Bangs and crashes came to her from down the hall. She turned from the room, wiping the tears away again. They seemed to not want to stop and walking through his house, that still held Izuna's presence, made it all the harder.

Madara's room was the worst. As she stepped inside of it, the man continued to throw things. Clothes and blankets were torn. The doors were cracked. His window shattered. His bed broken. Everything in his room was in pieces as the man was on his knees in the middle of the floor, grabbing things here and there and throwing them against the walls.

The 9-Tails had been right. She wasn't the only one hurting. Madara and Izuna had been together since they could remember, and now…now Madara didn't have anybody. He might have been the Head of the Uchihas, but that wasn't the same as having Izuna. Everything in Madara's world had been destroyed. What was he supposed to do now?

She watched for a moment as he destroyed a few more things and then as he curled up into a pal in the floor. She gave a sad smile as she stepped towards him. Madara didn't move as she knelt in front of him. Neither of them moved again for a few moments, God, it seemed to be forever, until Azumi saw his shoulders quiver. Her arms reached out on her own and pulled the man to her, embracing him against her. He didn't move again, but his arms slowly wrapped around her as he buried his face into her, his body shaking more violently.

Azumi felt her own tears erupt again and she held the man before her, running her hand through his hair as they sat there in silence.

**(FYI, right now, before reading below, pull up the song Somewhere by Within Temptation to listen to while reading the rest of this.)**

_**~Lost in the Darkness**_

_**Hoping for a sign**_

_**Instead there's only silence**_

_**Can't you hear my screams?~**_

It was the day of his funeral. As Azumi stood there, staring down into the coffin that was Izuna's final resting place, more tears fell. That seemed to be all that she could do as she stared down at the man she loved. Reaching down, she grasped the cold, limp hand that she wanted to run through her hair. She wanted to hear that voice of his laugh and tell her that she worried too much. But now, she couldn't.

His white robe didn't seem to fit him. She was so used to seeing him in black. And that thin strip across his eyes…Izuna had told her once that he refused to be seen as a weakling for being blind, so he had refused to wear one before. Slowly, she moved her hands and carefully untied it, ignoring the ones behind her. His eyes were closed, as they always were, and she smiled. He would be no different now than he was before.

_**~Never stop hoping**_

_**Need to know where you are**_

_**But one thing's for sure**_

_**You're always in my heart~**_

Azumi stood there in the crowd as Madara said his own goodbyes. She clutched the whimpering Kari to her tightly. The child had gone against her mother's wishes and came to the funeral anyway. Not many people beside the Uchihas were there. The few Hyuugas and the others that Izuna had befriended were there though; Hashirama and Tobirama included. They were to Azumi's right, but she didn't notice them. Her eyes never left the man she had lost; for now.

_**~I'll find you somewhere**_

_**I'll keep on trying**_

_**Until my dying day**_

_**I just need to know**_

_**Whatever has happened**_

_**The truth will free my soul~**_

Izuna would return to her. She would find him again, just like the 9-Tails had said she would. She accepted that she should continue living and wait for the day that they would be reunited. It hurt, she didn't want to wait, but she had to. Madara needed her. She knew that the moment he had embraced her in his room. If she were to leave as well…she didn't want to think about what Madara would do.

_**~Lost in the darkness**_

_**Tried to find your way home**_

_**I want to embrace you**_

_**And never let you go~**_

She would never let Izuna go. He would always be there with her and his brother, watching over them. She knew that. He was kinda like the light at the end of the table now, leading her down a path that would bring them together again.

Madara closed the coffin and back up, retaking his spot beside her and Kari. The two of them hadn't said a word since he had returned to the village; they didn't need to. That night in the room, in the end, Azumi found that it was herself being held, instead of the other way around that it had started at.

Madara hadn't wanted to let go of Izuna either. Perhaps…perhaps he would walk down that path to find him again with her.

_**~Almost hope you're in heaven**_

_**So no one can hurt your soul**_

_**Living in agony**_

_**Cause I just do not know**_

_**Where you are~**_

As the coffin was lowered into the hole, Azumi watched in silence as Kari continued to cry into her shirt and the feeling of pain drifted off of Madara and the other Uchihas around them. She could even feel in coming from the Senju brothers, and a dreary silence filled the area. As the dirt was tossed in, Azumi clapped her hands together and prayed that Izuna was somewhere safe now. Safe to where everything was back to normal. He could see now, she prayed, and was watching over them all as life went on.

_**~I'll find you somewhere**_

_**I'll keep on trying**_

_**Until my dying day**_

_**I just need to know**_

_**Whatever has happened**_

_**The truth will free my soul~**_

The sun didn't want to shine that day as the funeral was over. Everyone dispersed from the gravesite, leaving only four behind to still stare at the grave. Madara, Azumi, Kari, and Abiro. Kari was no longer gripping to Azumi. She was staring at the ground, wiping her tears away. Azumi was wiping her own away, staring up at the gray sky to try and stop them from falling. Abiro was silent, standing a little ways away from them, and Madara stared at the new grave, faceless.

"Why?" Kari whimpered. "Why did he have to go?"

Abiro decided to answer as Madara refused to speak and Azumi couldn't think to say anything. "Everyone passes on, child. It was Izuna's time. No one can stop the hands of fate. If it's your time to go, it's your time."

Kari's lower lip trembled again before the child turned and ran off. Azumi turned to watch her leave, but didn't move to follow her. She didn't want to leave. Not now. Not yet.

_**~Wherever you are**_

_**I won't stop searching**_

_**Whatever it takes me to know~**_

Abiro left soon after Kari, leaving just the two of them standing there in silence. Madara didn't want to leave his brother anytime soon, and normally he didn't want anyone around him at a time like this but…the feeling, the calmness that he felt with Azumi standing beside his was peaceful. It calmed him. He had torn that entire house to pieces and still had tons of rage to do so much more, but the moment she entered the room, he had lost it.

She could stay for as long as she wanted.

As he stared at the grave, he remembered what he had promised his brother as he had laid there in his arms. He was the only one left that was going to tell Azumi the truth about everything. He was all that was left that didn't want to treat her like a monster anymore.

_**~I'll find you somewhere**_

_**I'll keep on trying**_

_**Until my dying day**_

_**I just need to know**_

_**Whatever has happened**_

_**The truth will free my soul~**_

**God, that made me cry! I am so sorry that Izuna had to die guys. I was following the storyline, and he had to. It just makes me wonder how much I'm going to cry throughout the story when I do the seasons like when Zabuza and Haku die. And then the Akatsuki. And then Jiraiya and the list goes on and on :(**

**The story is almost done guys, but this is not the last you will see of Azumi, I promise. Just wait :)**

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	19. Chapter 18

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Chapter Eighteen**

**The Truth**

"**Are you sure you're ready for this?" **The normally rough voice was quite soft at that moment.

Azumi glanced beside her. Madara was standing there in a moody feel, staring at the Senju house before them. She was going to go talk to the Senju brothers about everything. She and Madara had been together in silence for the last few days since the funeral. Azumi had been cleaning up all that Madara had done to his house, though she still had yet to enter Madara's room. He was always locked up in there whenever she was at the house. After all, she still had to take care of the Hyuugas, thought she was only half-hearted at the moment. Her sister took care of everything that she didn't do.

"Yes," She nodded, turning back to the house.

"I'll be out here." He told her.

She watched him walk off and sit at the base of a tree. She knew that he didn't want to return to his house alone. Azumi walked forward and knocked on the door before entering at Hashirama's call.

The Senju family was all eating at the table, though Tsuki was taking a nap in her bowl before Mito began to clean her up.

"Azumi," Hashirama stood up with a concerned face. "Has something happened?" Azumi stayed silent, shooting a harsh glare at the woman at the table. Mito seemed to understand and so she grabbed her child and left the room, leaving the three of them in privacy. "Sit," Hashirama motioned to her and she was still silent as she stared at the table beneath her. "Tell us. Has something happened?"

Tobirama gave a sigh as she continued to be silent. "Look, if this is about Izuna, we're sorry. We tried everything we could to keep him safe during the battle but-"

"_He's lying," _Calryn's voice told her.

"Just stop with the lies," Azumi's voice was harsh but shaking at the same time. The brothers looked at her in shock. "Is that all you've ever done to me? Just told me lies?"

"What are you talking about, Azumi?" Tobirama demanded.

"Are you going to tell me the truth now?" She clenched her fists on the table as she stared at them in hatred. "All about your Aunt Hiyori? How about her mother, Merona? Sakura? Remora? Or how about where it all started with the Sage of Six Path's wife, Mora?"

Tobirama stayed silent and glanced away as Hashirama closed his eyes. "You've found the truth, have you?"

Azumi felt her heart shatter. These two had been brother to her. She loved them so much and to hear the coldness in Hashirama's voice…it just shattered her. She struggled to keep her anger down, but she could feel it coming. "So, they were telling the truth.

The new Hokage shook his head. "I knew that the Uchiha brothers were a bad idea."

"Don't blame it on them," She growled, glaring at the elder brother. "They had nothing to do with it. Izuna wanted to tell me everything, but he never got the chance too. The ones who told me, oh," She shook her head. "You're closer to meeting them than you know." There were roars of agreement through her head; except for the final one. Number Nine continued to stay silent.

"This wasn't how it was supposed to be, Azumi!" Tobirama tried to reach across the table to her but she pulled her hands back. "There…there was nothing that we could do! I swear!"

"How did it happen?" She asked lowly. How did I switch from Hiyori to Azumi?"

"Azumi seized the chance one night to try and run tests on Hiyori. She was quite interested with the 10-Tailed-Beast, but Hiyori broke out of the Jutsu. Azumi revealed everything to her and she let her anger take over. Azumi was taken over just like the others had been." Hashirama told her.

"So, all those times that I blacked out, all those moments that I just thought were dreams, that was me losing control and you erasing my memory?"

"Yes," the men said. "But can you blame us?"

As she stared at the brothers for a moment, she sighed. Tobirama looked ashamed while Hashirama's face stayed blank. "I suppose not." She felt her anger retreating and ignored the vices in her head. "Who all knows?"

"Everyone but the children," Was her answer. "The Uchihas were told before they agreed to join us." That explained why most of the Uchihas didn't dare to look at her. "And the children are told when they grow older in case you break free."

So what Madara had said about her being the one that hurt him the first time they met…it had been true. This was what Izuna had been wanting to tell her; what he was going to tell her when he had returned. The Uchiha brothers had been trying to tell her all along! But why? Well, she knew why Izuna had been, but why Madara?

As she thought for a moment, something else hit her. "I'm not really a Hyuuga then, am I? I'm not Kari's Aunt, not truly Tsuki's godmother, am I?"

"Azumi was, or, was to be." Hashirama told her. "But you are not."

"Then what was all this?" She slammed her hands on her table. "Me being the Hyuuga head? Just a way of keeping me in a cage?"

"You could say that."

"We had to keep you near," Tobirama finally looked at her again. "So you would stay safe!"

"But it wasn't really me you wanted to stay safe, was it?" Azumi pushed herself to her feet, eyes closed as she let her mind puzzle over everything. She turned to just leave, but Hashirama's voice stopped her. Or rather, roots pulling out of the floor and wrapping around her legs stopped her.

"You can't leave knowing everything, Azumi." Hashirama stood from the table as Azumi glared at him. "It would be foolish."

"Let me go." She hissed.

"Can't do that." The Hokage shook his head. "It would be foolish to let a monster who knows what it is go. Who knows what it would do."

"It?" anger burned though her veins. "Monster? How dare you. How dare you! I have done everything for the two of you! I take care of your wife and daughter! I take care of you when you're hurt or sick! And you call me a monster? The only monsters I see are you two, using us for power!" She screamed at him as the roots continued to curl around her, immobilizing her.

Walking towards her, he said – "What you think or say matters not. You're not going to remember this anyway, so get it all out of your system now while you still can." Hashirama lifted his hand.

**Azumi waited to feel his touch but instead she found herself in that cave again; this time alone.** Every door that she had entered to meet the tailed Beasts were closed again, but she could sense them all just behind the wall. The only doorway that was open now was the one she had yet to enter.

Door Nine.

Without even a though, Azumi took off, her anger growing worse and worse as she replayed everything in her head. Betrayal. Lies. Trickery. These people weren't her family. She was being used! She paused in her steps.

Her family was Shukaku and the others. And together, they made a whole. Together, they made a 10-Tailed-Beast. No, they made a 10-Tailed-Savior that would free this land of all the monstrous humans that think they could do all that they wanted with no remorse.

~But then…What about Kari…and Madara?~

"What about them?" The deep voice asked her.

Azumi came back to and realized that she had already reached the end of the cave path and was staring into a large pair of red eyes. She caught her breath as she took in the form of the final beast.

He took on the form of a demonic fox with the upper body structure of a human with opposable thumbs on his clawed hands. His fur was red-orange with the blood red eyes and his nine tails were whipping around him as he watched her.

"What do you mean?"

"Why bother caring about the two of them? They're humans themselves."

"I don't need to explain my reasons," Azumi crossed her arms before they fell again and she gazed up at the demon. "Just don't hurt Madara and the children, Kyuubi."

The fox stared at her for a moment before an evil grin spread out across his face and he held out his left paw/hand to her. She took a breath and touched it.

**One moment, Hashirama held his hand over Azumi's eyes, the next he jerked them back like he had been burned. **He looked at the woman before him before taking a step back. Her skin was peeling off, leaving a glowing black beneath it. Her hands and feet turned into claws. She had these marks, like whiskers, on her cheeks. Her eyes were a furious red as black tails…four of them…sprouted out behind her. The roots that were holding her burst into flames, freeing her…freeing the creature. The house was being destroyed as well as a pit was beginning to burrow into the ground under Azumi's feet as she hunched over to place her hands on the ground.

"Hashirama!" Tobirama dove forward, knocking his brother out of the way as Azumi's claws swiped forward, resulting slashes on the younger Senju's chest.

"Tobirama!" the elder leaned over his brother in worry before turning back to the woman with a scowl. He clapped his hands together and began to perform a jutsu when another form knocked him out of the way before placing a sword to his throat.

"You're not going to do a thing to her, Senju!" Madara growled at the man in red.

"What are you doing, you fool!" He demanded. "You're going to kill us all!"

Azumi had been looking at the Villagers. They had felt the Chakra and everyone had gathered, ready to fight but had frozen, shock clear on their faces except one: Abiro Uchiha, who was wearing a face of excitement as he stood there, hunched over his cane. At Hashirama's voice, Azumi turned her head.

"Now now Senju," Kyuubi's deep voice came out in laughter. "Don't get hasty. Though I would gladly like to kill all of you, Azumi has ordered everyone not to be killed." The head turned and looked at all the Ninja that surrounded them.

"She…she has?" Tobirama groaned from his place on the ground.

"Everyone dies…except the children and the Uchiha."

Hashirama pulled an enraged face. "What?"

"Oh, not all the Uchihas, Senju. Just one." The red eyes landed on Madara and the man gave Hashirama a smirk before pulling away from him. "Get out of here, Uchiha," Kyuubi growled. "After being locked away for nearly 100 years I can assure you that whatever I lay my eyes on next will be eaten first."

Madara gave a 'hah' before he backed out of the way but stayed close enough to watch.

Tobirama pushed himself to his feet as his brother turned to him. "Can you keep it distracted?" He asked, handing his brother something as they all watched a fifth tail began to sprout and the power got stronger.

"For as long as you need me too." The brothers exchanged nods and off Tobirama went, doing his best to stay calm, watch his wounds, and shouted orders to the ninja around them. The tails lashed out like whips a multiple went down in seconds; some dead, some only wounded. The wounded were rolling on the ground in agony though; almost as if fire or poison seeped into their wounds.

"Ha!" It was Musktell's voice that sounded this time.

Abiro watched, excitement clearly written all over his face as he watched the entire village go down while Hashirama was doing…God-only-knows-what over there and Madara was watching from nearby as the children hide close to the large mountain towards the center of the village with a few of the other elders and ninja. He had refused to go with them. This was what he had been waiting for since Madara returned wounded and beaten like he had almost a year ago. He wasn't going to let it slip through his fingers.

Dropping his cane and cloak, Abiro made his way through the other ninja and jumped at the black figure. One of the tails whacked him but he flipped and landed on his feet before running forward to attack again. The tails kept whacking him away until Azumi finally turned and faced him, attacking with teeth. Abiro ran forward again and the moment before the teeth closed around him he dropped his arms with a huge grin.

Madara watched as the Uchiha Elder dropped all defenses and winced as Abiro gave out a maniacal laughter/scream as the beast fed upon him.

Tobirama took his chance now and jumped onto the creature's back, dodging its tails and wrapped something around its neck before he was shot off, smoke and blood flying after him.

"Enough is enough!" Hashirama growled, clapping his hands together. As the rest of Abiro finally disappeared wood, large chunks this time. Began to curl around their attacker again. Around the tails. The feet. The neck. Everywhere.

(Come on, you guys know what Jutsu's about to come up, right? Lol :D)

The roar that was released made the ground shake as the Tree Madara stood in trembled. He was biting his lip, watching. Waiting.

"Technique of Enlightenment!" Hashirama then yelled, the seal for 'sit' appearing on his right hand as he ran forward and slammed it against Azumi's chest and on top of the small crystal that Tobirama had wrapped around her neck. If the woods hadn't been holding her, Hashirama most likely would have been eaten as well. As the crystal began to glow a bright green, the Hokage jumped back with a string of blue chakra that was connect to his hand and Azumi's body. He slammed his other hand to the ground and eleven more pieces of wood, with spikes lining it up and down as they curved to tower over Azumi, stood like a cage over the roaring beast. Hashirama pulled back with his hand and they all watched as another ferocious roar burst from her and she began to change back to her normal form. The tails resided. The claws turned back to hands. Her skin returned.

She stood there, her roars turning into screams before the blue chakra cord finally broke and she stumbled forward, holding a burnt-like hand to a matching face. Azumi lifted her glaring eyes to the new Hokage of the Leaf Village. Things were silent, both breathing hard as they stared at the other. There was no way she could still be conscious after that and he didn't have the strength to have a full-out fight with her or do that Jutsu again in case she broke free a second time. But…

Hashirama couldn't take it anymore and ran towards her, another jutsu ready.

"Five-Pronged-Seal!" His hand collided with Azumi's stomach. She grabbed his arm and just gave a smirk before she fell backwards; into Madara's arms. Hashirama looked tired himself. Those two jutsus right after one another were hard. He just had one more to do before he could rest. "Hold her still, Madara." He lifted his right hand again and went to place it over Azumi's eyes but Madara picked her up and backed away. "What are you doing?"

"Don't you think you've already done enough?" Madara growled.

"Look at what it's done, Madara!" The elder Senju waved his hand across the area at the destroyed village homes and the dead and the wounded. "It ate your elder! Erasing its memory will send it back to not knowing anything. We'll have to teach her everything again, but that doesn't matter!"

"It's your fault that she attacked in the first place!" Madara growled.

"How?"

"If you had told her everything from the beginni-"

Hashirama cut the Uchiha off. "You and your damn brother! Both of you don't see the Beast for what it truly is! It's not a woman, Madara! Not even close!"

"Hashirama," Tobirama's voice made them turn to see the younger Senju being held up by others. "If…If you hadn't have tried to erase her memory as she turned to leave the house…this wouldn't have happened. If you had waited…" Tobirama was in too much pain to continue and Madara gave the elder Senju a smirk.

"This is enough fighting," The Hokage turned to his village. "The Beast will not be able to break free again due to the seal I placed on it. We'll worry about it later. Rest up and tomorrow we'll start to rebuild what was destroyed." Hashirama gave Madara another look before turning to hurry to his brother.

Madara gazed down at the woman in his arms before walking towards his house, ignoring the others as they backed away from him.

So, the secret was out now, but the revenge had yet to be given. But even now Madara had ideas running through his mind. He was growing tired of the Uchihas agreeing with Hashirama more than they did with him. The moment the Senjus joined with them was the moment that he lost all control over his Clan. Not only would it be Azumi's revenge…but his as well.

**All right guys. Only 5 or so chapters left. Not exactly sure how many but we're getting there. I hope you stick around to see what else happens :)**

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	20. Chapter 19

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**OMFG!OMFGOMFGOMFG! I just read the newest Chapter of Naruto and it just ruined EVERYTHING ABOUT MADARA! Okay, maybe not, I can make it work, but I have to get the next chapter to figure everything out! Dammitdammitdammitdammit! It was so perfect too! But I'm not going to stop. This story is the best one I've written to date and I'm not done with it until it's over!**

Chapter Nineteen

Guess

**It had been days since Azumi excited the Uchiha house. **She had taken over Izuna's room as she just thought about everything that had just happened and what she planned on doing next. Believe it or not, it was a rather tricky thing to do if you had never done something like that before. Honestly, she didn't know what she wanted to do. It had changed from her taking care of Madara to him taking care of her. Kari tried to see her but every time she was here she faked being asleep. What could she say to the girl? Why was the girl even still trying to see her? She was sure that everyone knew the truth now. She didn't want to see the glares that she was sure they were going to be shooting at her the moment she walked out of the house and tried to rejoin them. Would they try to hurt her? Probably.

But she didn't want to leave the house. She didn't want to ever see the Senju brothers again. She had tried to rip the jewel that Tobirama had tied around her neck when she lost control but it didn't want to come off. Even Madara couldn't pull it off. And speaking of the Uchiha, Madara was there for her now so everything was…it would eventually be fine. The Uchiha didn't care that she was a monster. She was a normal person to him. He would sit there in that room with her in silence, reading or talking about things him and his brother did when they were younger. They made her laugh and the more she was with Madara, the more enlighten she felt. Around him…she couldn't fight off the feelings that she held for both the Uchiha brothers. The guilt she felt after Izuna kissed her now returned because Madara was still there. He was still there and Izuna wasn't.

Izuna was going to tell her everything when he returned from the battle with the others. Everything that the others had been hiding from her. The Uchiha brothers were the only ones that didn't want to use her like some sort of weapon. Madara was the only one she had left now. She thought she had everything but now, she knew the truth.

The Seal that Hashirama had placed on her may have cut the Tails' Chakra off from her reach but it didn't cut off their voices. She was stuck with the cave, having to talk to the nine of them from behind cage doors. She had been wondering of to release them but her hands were burned when she touched the bars. There-

Azumi lifted her head, a hard look on her face. There was something going outside in the village. She could feel it. Moments later, with a large explosion, Madara's own head lifted from the book he had been reading by the window.

"_What was that, I wonder?"_ Calryn's voice rang through her head.

"I don't know," She replied aloud as she stood up. Madara raised an eyebrow. "But I don't think that bodes well." She moved to the door.

"What are you doing?" Madara stepped in front of her.

"I'm not sure yet," She answered him, avoiding looking into his face. "But you can't just sit here after the 'big bang', can you?"

He watched her in silence for a moment before smirking and leading the way out of the house. It didn't take to long for them to find the commotion and Azumi didn't even bother to hide her laughter. The houses and buildings that Hashirama and the others had been rebuilding were destroyed again.

Back to step one.

Not one person was there due to it being in the middle of the night and so, watching the battle was easy. Both of them could immediately tell that it was Hashirama fighting, but they had never seen the other man before.

He was tall, over six feet, dark skinned, muscular man with long dark brown hair and unusual eyes; green irises, no pupils and red scleras. He was dressed head to foot in black and wore a headband with the symbol of an upside-down arrow.

(Guess who! Oh, I just couldn't resist lol!)

The Symbol on his headband explained why they had never seen them before. Azumi didn't even know that there had been a waterfall village. It must have been as new as the Leaf and the Sand were.

There was no doubt that this man was strong. Madara watched with a grin on his face as the fighting continued. Azumi was surprised that no one else from the village could be found. It was just…dead.

Moments passed and Azumi watched as Hashirama finally grew tired of the battle and used his jutsu. Wood burst out of the ground, catching the Waterfall Ninja in surprise as the wood spiraled around him, catching him in a grip.

She knew what was going to happen next to this man. Interrogation and then death.

~Why~ She wondered. ~Why must everything end in death?~

"_Because that is how the world is,"_ Kyuubi's voice replied. _"And how it will always be."_

Madara watched as a frown spread out across Azumi's face. "Are you going to do something?" He asked her.

"Should I?" She responded.

"Should you?" He chuckled as her frown grew into a look of rage before she ran forward. Thrusting her hands against the wood that was holding the man her chakra cut through it like a knife, shattering them and falling to the ground as did the Waterfall Ninja.

Hashirama looked at her, breathing hard, with a confused look. ~Even with the seal~ Hashirama panted. ~The demon still holds great power.~

"Go." The tanned man looked up at the woman in surprise from his place on the ground among the shattered wood. "Get out of here."

"But…why?" He asked. He was attacking their Leader. Why would she help him escape?

"Do you need to ask?" Madara asked from behind him. "Just go; while you still have a chance." The man gave them both a look before taking off.

"What are you doing?" Hashirama looked after the man as he ran. "He just tried to kill me! We can't let him escape!"

"It's a shame that he couldn't finish the job," Azumi shook her head. Madara crossed his arms, smirking as the Hokage straightened up and cleared his face. "It would have at least given me a little peace of mind."

"Let's talk about this," Hashirama told her. "I have to make you understand why I did what I did."

Azumi shook her head. "I was fine with it all, Hashirama. I understood why you had to keep it all from me and I was going to accept that. I had accepted that. But the moment that you tried to erase my memory again was the moment you crossed the line. You didn't have to do that. Everything would have been just the way it had been before. Sure, I was mad that this was all hidden from me, but I knew why. You ruined everything that I could have continued to do for you and this village, Hashirama and it might not be soon, but one day you will regret it."

If Hashirama opened his mouth to say anything after all of that, she didn't hear it. She turned and began to walk away, ignoring everything as Madara followed after her.

Madara's mind quickly began to form and he grinned as he moved forward and stepped past her. She paused, looking at his face. "Is something wrong?" She asked him.

He shook his head. "I just want to show you something. Something that…that Izuna had wanted to show you when we returned. I promised him that I would so…just follow me." He turned and led her back towards the Uchiha grounds. This was going to work. He had everything planned out. A way to set her free. A way to get his revenge. And a way…a way to set her free.

**Okay, this was a short chapter but I have a reason for it! There are four, maybe five chapters left of this story so I'm just going to go ahead and finish it now. Give me a day or two and the next chapter will be up as will the next and so on and so forth. This chapter was short because of what's about to happen in the next chapter. Trust me; you're gonna love it ;)**

**Here's a question that I want you all to answer, what Naruto character would you like to read about next? I have a list on my page and you can choose anyone you want and the one with the most votes will be next, how about that? Can you guys do that for me? lol**

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	21. Chapter 20

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

Chapter Twenty

Your Imperfection

**The underground passage was found underneath Madara's house. **It looked new, so one of the Uchiha brothers must have created it. Or maybe both of them. Torches lit the long, dark, downward passage, giving off a feel of eeriness as Azumi continued to follow the man in front of her. Even the tails stayed silent, waiting to see what was going to happen themselves.

"What is it that you've brought me down here for?" Azumi kept her eyes on the man as he stepped forward into the darkness. She stayed where she was as he disappeared into the shadows. She could still hear him though.

"I've got something that Izuna was going to show you when he returned. He wanted this to be the first thing before anything else happened. I can't believe that I couldn't think of it before now. I had forgotten all about it."

"Well," She gave an uneasy step. "As to why, it's understandable."

She heard his little 'heh' before a tap happened. Two more torches, hanging on the while on either side of Madara, burst into life and lit up the room. The Uchiha stood before a table against the wall, his back to the woman as she gazed around the room. A design of some sort of Jutsu was painted across the large floor and a bed was set in the middle of it. Her mouth grew dry at the thought of just what exactly the bed was there for.

She had been expecting a lot more than just a table and a bed though.

"My brother…" Madara's back was still towards her. "Was the smartest of the two of us. I didn't used to think about that, but he was. Izuna…was something else. He could see into the souls of others. He did it with everyone. He could tell whether or not they were evil or pure or whatever it was that were. And I…I always envied him for that." He took a deep breath. "Just imagine how I felt when I first met you; when I learned who you were. After our first battle, I hadn't expected ever running back into you but the Clan Elders chose to and this…all this started. But still…" He turned to face her. "My brother could still see what you were. At first," Madara continued. "I saw you as a monster. A beast that was nothing but a problem and in my way. I despised you as my brother loved you and wanted to be around you. I hated you," She bit her lip as he turned his head, taking a deep breath. "You were a monster to me, but to Izuna…he saw you as an angel, despite that fact that he couldn't see you when you transformed. He could feel your power, the hatred, pouring off of you when you did, but still, you weren't a monster to him. I thought that he was foolish with his feelings for you, but now…now I see what he meant."

Azumi lifted her head, not sure that she had heard him right. "What do you mean?"

"It's not really that hard to understand what I'm trying to say is it?" He growled.

She couldn't help but let the small smile pop up on her face as she took a few steps into the room. An instant, chilly feeling traveled over her skin and the Tails' all began to give off low growls.

"What is it?" She asked them.

Before they could answer, Madara turned to look at her. "The...They will not like it in here at the beginning, I'm sure. This place was originally created for you to be separated from them, but I'm not going to use it for that any more. They're safe here." The growls lowered, but there was still an uneasy feeling in her stomach. And it wasn't just from the room.

"Are you all right, Madara?" she took another timid step towards him.

"Do I look all right!" He shouted at her before turned to lean on the table, pulling his anger under control. "Do you know…know what it feels like to refuse letting yourself have something you want? Not letting yourself obtain your greatest desires because of the people around you?" His voice was trembling. "For years now I have been doing everything that I can for this clan…and until I met you they accepted me as their leader. The moment you were brought in, everything changed. All the Uchihas turned to Hashirama because he could control you. Because he could control the Ten-Tailed-Beast. That gave him everything that I had worked so hard for and the power was not even his; it was yours. They all turned on me…turned on my brother!"

Azumi's eyes narrowed. "Madara…how did…how did Izuna die?"

The Uchiha was still for a moment before he shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Not yet. Revenge will be granted when it wishes to be." He shook his head. "That's what I should say, but I won't. I want my revenge for Izuna. For everything that's happened since I met you!"

The words landed on her like a blow and she hung her head. "I just keep making problems everywhere. That's all I am, aren't I?" She turned to leave but Madara was now standing behind her. He grabbed her shoulders in a fierce grip and began to push her back. She took her steps.

"Hashirama has taken control of everything and because he has you. Everything…everything in my life has turned upside down since I first fought you in that field. Everything!"

"I-I'm sorry!" She didn't know what to do as the back of her legs hit the table. What was she supposed to do? What was _he_ going to do?

"I should have taken a different stance. I should have listened to myself before all of this happened. I should have taken care of you after the events of the Sand Village. I should have…should have done this and maybe…maybe it would have stopped all of this from happening."

As she stared into those eyes…she felt more than just Madara gazing at her. She felt Izuna there as well. Both the brothers were there…there with her. A pain hit her. If she had gone with them instead of staying behind like Hashirama had told her to then she could have saved him. Or maybe, it was her that would have died. If it had been, then maybe everything would have turned out better than it was now; maybe everything would have turned out differently. She closed her eyes, awaiting the wrath of the Uchiha when she received something different.

Very different.

The lips that she had always thought to be cold and lifeless were quite the opposite as they clamped onto hers. She would have pulled back, demanding to know what was going on if the wall wasn't behind her. That's not saying that she didn't like it; she very much did, but the moment he touched her like that, the image of Izuna burst into her mind.

Madara pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers. "My brother…was right about you. He was all along. I knew that you weren't what the Senjus were using you as and I just…I just didn't do a thing. My brother had claimed you as his and so…I forced myself not to do anything. It was so hard! But now that he's gone…though it sounds so horrible…there's nothing to keep me away. Not anymore."

_**~You're worth so much**_

_**It'll never be enough to see what you have to give**_

_**How beautiful you are**_

_**Yet seem so far from everything you're wanting to be**_

_**Wanting to be~**_

Azumi didn't really know how to respond as Madara's fingers created a path down the front of her shirt before against her skin as he slowly began to pull it up over her head. She felt like she was in a dream as the Tailed Beasts retreated into their caves to leave the two of them alone. There was nothing else that she could do but go with him as the cool air sent goose bumps up and down her body.

"I," She then whispered, suddenly very embarrassed as she crossed her arms over her bra. She didn't know what to do; how to react. "I don't…"

Madara placed a finger over her lips and kissed her forehead. "I'll teach you everything." Azumi had read stories about this. She knew that the first time would hurt, but for some reason her body seemed to be longing for it and so, she nodded, closing her eyes.

_**~Tears falling down again**_

_**Tears falling down~**_

Madara smirked and continued what he had been doing. He had never done this before, wither, but his body seemed to be knowing what to do and so, he just let it go, as if watched from feet away instead of being in the middle of it.

"Don't hide from me," Madara whispered into her ear as he pulled her arms away before they quickly moved behind her and removed the bar as well. Her face turned a very dark red now as he gazed at her breasts.

Azumi then gave a gasp as he bent down and warm moisture perked her nipples.

Already, this was nothing like the stories she had read.

_**~You fall to your knees**_

_**You beg, you plead**_

_**Can I be somebody else for all the times I hated myself?**_

_**Your failures devour your heart in every hour**_

_**You're drowning in your imperfection~**_

Moments later, Azumi found both herself and Madara fully naked as she was pinned against the wall, his hands exploring her…nether regions as he own hands found themselves tangled in the Uchiha's hair. Her breath was short and his was hot against her skin as he picked her up and carried her over to the bed, a shiver traveling down her back at the cold air.

Something just told her that the two of them weren't going to be cold for too much longer.

_**~You mean so much**_

_**That heaven would touch the face of humankind for you**_

_**How special you are**_

_**Revel in your day**_

_**You're fearfully and wonderfully made**_

_**Wonderfully made~**_

They laid there for a while, Azumi didn't know how long, but she didn't stay still for long. She had decided, timidly at first, to move on her own before she seemed to know what to do. Madara seemed pleased as he could no longer take it anymore and flipped her back beneath him. He had been waiting for this since that moment after the Sand Village and now he was ready to receive it. Not willing to wait anymore, he leaned down and gave her another kiss as he entered.

_**~Tears falling down again**_

_**Come let the healing begin~**_

Her cries weren't of pain but of pleasure. The feelings that she had read about for years, longed for, for years, were now finally hers and no one was going to be able to take them away from her. Not now. She gripped the sheets around them as they continued, truly glad that no one would be able to hear them all the way down in this place. She found herself begging for more and more and Madara gave a fierce grin as he grabbed her hands, pinning them over her head as he drove into her harder.

_**~You fall to your knees**_

_**You beg, you plead**_

_**Can I be somebody else for all the times I hated myself?**_

_**Your failures devour your heart in every hour**_

_**You're drowning in your imperfection~**_

He made her beg for the final release as she lay there beneath him. She wanted to run her nails down his back but they were pinned above her head as Madara's tongue continued moving across her as she reached the ending point. Her moans grew into growls and her struggles became worse, but he didn't let her move. He even paused for one moment, to see what she would do, and the look he received made him grin in satisfactions before he finally finished the deed.

_**~You're worth so much**_

_**So easily crushed**_

_**Wanna be like everyone else**_

_**No one escapes**_

_**Every breath we take dealing with our own skeletons**_

_**Skeletons~**_

He collapsed on top of her, burying his face into the pillow and her hair. She clung to him, not desiring to let him go at any moment. All thoughts of betraying Izuna had been wiped from her mind as the two of them just laid there together, clutching to the one beside them. That had felt so…so right. This was everything that…that she had wanted and more. She didn't know why, but it just felt…made her feel…human. No one would have done that with a monster. No one. Therefore, she wasn't a monster. And she had never been one.

_**~You fall to your knees**_

_**You beg, you plead**_

_**Can I be somebody else for all the times I hated myself?**_

_**Your failures devour your heart in every hour**_

_**You're drowning in your imperfection~**_

"Everything," His voice was husky as his hand ran through her hair. "Is going to be all right. Get some rest and we'll…take care of everything tomorrow." She still clutched to his body and didn't seem to want to let go any time soon. "I'll take care of everything."

_**~Won't you believe, yeah? **_

_**Won't you believe, yeah?**_

_**All the things I see in you**_

_**You're not the only one, ~**_

His words repeated in her mind, giving her peace. But as she drifted off into sleep, Azumi didn't take notice of the final look that Madara was giving her.

_**~You're not the only one drowning in imperfection.~**_

**I hope that was good for you guys ;)**

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	22. Chapter 21

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

Chapter Twenty-One

Release

**Madara stood over the bed, staring down at the sleeping woman. **He felt, calm now; calmer than he had about doing this before. He had just given everything that he was to this woman, and she wasn't even technically human. But that didn't matter anymore. She was now his, and no one was going to lay their hands on her like that again. No one but him. He had made up his mind months ago. He was going to do all that he could to stay with her, keep her safe, keep her near, for as long as she lived, he would be there with her through everything. Everything.

And this was where it was going to start.

Turning away for a moment, Madara stepped towards the table and grabbed the vial off of it before turning back to the woman and the bed. The way her skin glowed in the fire on the wall made him give a small smile before sitting down beside her. Brushing some of her hair from her face, Madara opened the vial, drank it, and them kissed her forehead.

_**~In this desert**_

_**In darkness**_

_**Lying with the gun across his chest**_

_**Pretending**_

_**He's heartless**_

_**As the fire flashes in the sky**_

_**He was fragile**_

_**And frozen**_

_**When the bullet took away his friend**_

_**And now he's somehow**_

_**More broken~**_

It felt strange, being inside Azumi's mind. Madara just closed his eyes, letting his body get used to it as the substance he drank from the vial. It was a new concoction that his brother had created and so far, it seemed to be working. He was now standing in a large, cave like place, encircle by 9 large gates. The power that he felt seeping out of the bars towards him was making him lightheaded, but he was growing excited. How Azumi didn't know about all of these Beasts until recently was surprising to him but then again, with all the mind-erasing that she had been through…it was easy to understand why that was so.

Gazing at the bars a little more, the power growing the higher he went, eyes began to peer at him from the darkness. Yellow. Red and Green. Red. Brown. Blue-Green. White. Green. White. Red. And the lust seeping off of them, the lust for blood, was nearly as strong as their power was. He just stayed silent, taking in their essence for a moment, getting himself ready for what he was about to do.

"What are you doing here?" Shukaku's voice came from the first set of bars.

"How did you even get in here?" Calryn demanded.

"My name is Madara Uchiha." He began.

"Yes, we know who you are," Rin cut him off.

"Especially after the little party you just had," Basktor gave a laughed as some of the others joined her. Madara suddenly felt his face grow warm and so gave small cough. More laughs joined.

"I have come to ask for your help." He continued.

"Our help?" Donji asked. "You seem to be doing just fine on your own so far."

"That's not what I mean," Madara had to play his cards right on this turn. He knew that together, these beasts would be able to kill him. If taken on one at a time after all the training her had gone through, he would be fine, but together…"I need your help for my plans."

"And just what are your plans?" Musktell asked in his slow voice.

"Not many people care about what the Senjus are doing to her," Octine decided to join in. "Why do you?"

Madara closed his eyes for a moment. "I'm sure that you were all listening earlier so I see no need to repeat myself," He told them. "My actions are clear. I refuse to let her continue to be used as a weapon. I am going to remove the five-pronged seal and then I ask for your help on bringing revenge down onto this village."

"Why do you now ask for Azumi's help? Surely she would agree." Karnel commented.

"Even if she does, she will regret it in the years to come and we all know it. If the nine of you were to be the ones to do it, breaking free for even a little while, it would just be easier."

"He has a point," Shukaku agreed. "She does tend to blame everything on herself and regret it afterwards. Remember when the brother died?"

Madara felt a stab in his chest as the Beasts continued to talk amongst themselves, as if he wasn't there anymore. He knew that Azumi felt responsible, but why should she? It was him that was supposed to brother his brother. Him!

The only beast that didn't say a word, didn't move, was Kyuubi. The fox just lay there, watching Madara with his burning, red eyes. Madara felt that his knees wanted to quiver, but he didn't let them. Instead, he stood there proud, tall, and strong as he stared right back at the creature, waiting…hoping.

"And just what do you plan on using us for?" The Fox's deep voice decided to finally ask.

"I've already told you." The Uchiha replied.

"Yes, I heard that," Kyuubi straightened himself up tall. "But what are you true intentions? What do you plan on doing with us if we help you?"

Madara smirked. In all honesty, he had been thinking about that himself? What would he do after everything was finished? After Hashirama was dead? "I do not know yet, but I'm sure that something will come to me. Who knows, maybe nothing."

"You're honest," Donji scowled. "I'll give you that, but that doesn't mean a thi-"

"Fine." The eight of them all looked at Kyuubi; some were surprised. "Do what you wish, as long as the Elder Senju is mine."

Madara grinned. "You'll have to fight me for him. And his brother."

"Hurry," Kyuubi growled, standing up and moving out of the way. "Before I change my mind."

Madara nodded and looked at the dark path that Kyuubi had been sitting in front of before hurrying towards it. He didn't want to look excited as he made his way through the dark tunnel but he did anyone. On the floor of the next room was the Seal that he had seen Hashirama place on Azumi, sprawled out on the floor; both seals were on top of the other and Madara smirked. If he were to destroy them, then the seal would be broken.

He knew that the Beasts were all waiting, so he didn't waste any more time. Forming his hands, the ground beneath the seal broke through, destroying the seal with the move that he had copied from Azumi during their first meeting; Destructive mountain fist. With his chakra combined with it, the seals, both of them are destroyed and released. Madara smirked in victory, but frowned as a rumbling happened; roars from the Beasts join it.

Madara now found himself on their bed again, starting down at the woman beside him. She has on her knees, gripping her throat as she began to co ugh.

"Azumi, are you all-" Madara's questions was halted by Azumi as threw her back backwards. Her eyes were slit and red as she gave a growl. Madara's eyes watched as nine small, white balls flew out of her mouth, each disappeared with strength. Madara frowned. Something had gone wrong, and he knew what it was. He hadn't freed the Beasts from what Hashirama had done, he friend them all period.

All nine of the Beasts were free from Azumi's body. They all had their own bodies, disappearing from the Leaf Village. All of them, but one were gone. Madara could still fell Kyuubi just above in the city as Azumi fainted, landed on the bed again.

All the Beasts were separated. Shukaku. Rin. Calryn. Donji. Basktor. Musktell. Karnel. Octine. Kyuubi. They were all on their own. Without them, was Azumi still alive? Does she had the memory? Or did she return to the woman that Tobirama had been engaged to? Madara wasn't sure, but he hoped that she would remember anything. He would have stayed there and tried to wake her up but screams above them in the city could barely been heard as Kyuubi's growl reached him.

Madara had to go. He was sure that Azumi would wake up and join him; he just prayed, as he quickly pulled all his clothes on and headed back up the stairs, that she was still on his side.

**Short, I know, but that's what I wanted. The next chapter is apparently going to be very long, so wait for it! :)**

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	23. Chapter 22

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**I know that it's been a while. Forgive me. School has been a pain and the finals are the next two weeks so give me until after then. Over Christmas there should be a lot submitted ;)**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Destruction**

**The first thing that Azumi felt was emptiness.** Extreme emptiness. She felt so different. She felt like something had been ripped from her. She felt…alone. She looked for Madara, but he was nowhere to be found. She began to panic and searched for the Tailed-Beasts, but they weren't there either. That sent her into a true panic and she sprung from the bed, her heart pounding in her head as she pulled her clothes on. This was so strange. She didn't know what was going on and it was starting to scare her. Why couldn't she talk to the Tails? Why couldn't she feel them like she normally could? What had happened? And Madara was gone as well.

What had Madara done?

Her fear and panic covered everything else and as she burst out of the stairway and back out into the village. She froze, a look of horror cracking across her face. The Village was on fire. Buildings were crashed down and bodies were hurt; both dead and wounded. Even the children. She had the sudden feel that this was her fault. She immediately tried to help the ones that were still alive but the moment they saw her they screamed, pulling away. They would take the children from her as well, just resulting in her self-accusations some more but it just confused her as much.'

"Auntie Azi! Auntie Azi!" The high voice made Azumi whip around in time to catch Kari. "Why? Why are you doing this, Auntie?"

"Just…just what is it that I'm doing, Kari?" Azumi asked her niece slowly. Kari pulled away. She was dirty and covered in blood, but not her own. It seemed that she had been hiding. "What's going on?"

"You…you don't know?" The girl sniffed.

"No, I've been asleep for…I don't know. What happened, Kari? Tell me!"

"They attacked the village," The girl cried, burying her face into Azumi's shirt. "Uncle Madara attacked us with a great beast! A fox! They tore us all apart! If he hadn't have been there…the fox would have killed me too! But Madara stopped him; he protected me until the Senju brothers showed up!"

So, she had been right. Madara did have something to do with this. But why didn't he take her with him? What was he planning? And the fox; it was Kyuubi. It had to be. But how had he been released from her? And if he was free, the others had to be as well so where were they? She needed answers! And she knew just where to get them!

"Kari," Azumi set the child on the ground. "When the Senju brothers showed up, where did they go?"

"I'm not sure," the child shook her head, shivering. "Hashi and Tobi led Uncle and the fox north not so long ago."

Azumi nodded, taking a breath. "Listen to me," She told her. "Everything's going to be okay now, understand? Go find your mother and wait for me to return, all right? The attack is over and I shall return with the others soon, okay?"

Kari nodded. "Be careful, Auntie. You have to promise me that you'll come back! And Uncle Madara as well! Please!"

Azumi caught her breath for a second before she nodded. "I promise." She kissed her head before taking off, heading north like Kari had said. Her mind was roaring with hundreds of ideas as she zipped across the plains. As she got further out of the village, the strength of Kyuubi hit her, letting her know that she was headed in the right area. She didn't know what she was going to be able to do when she arrived to the fighting. Was she still strong since the Beasts had been taken from her? Was she even strong before she had them? Or was it all just the Beasts?

As she came to a stop at a large valley, she prayed to God that she still was.

She was surprised to see that Hashirama's wood jutsu had pinned the large fox to the ground; for the moment. Kyuubi was struggling against it as the Senju brothers were fighting Madara near it. She paused for a moment, struggling to breathe as she found herself hiding behind rocks that the three men and the fox had erupted from the ground.

"So," Madara sounded…strange to her. Almost…insane. "How does it feel for your little 'weapon' to finally break free from your hold and attack? You didn't think that Azumi could handle being your weapon any longer, did you?" The Uchiha lifted his sword.

"She's not just a weapon to me, damn it! I love her!" The white-haired Senju screamed as he ran at him.

"You love her? Ha!" Madara parried his sword with his own. "If you loved her you wouldn't be using her to win your fights! You wouldn't be using her at all! If you loved her you would be treating her like a queen! Trying to keep her from harm, not throwing her into it! If you truly loved Azumi, you would be doing for her what I have been doing!" He leaned towards the man. "Just face it. I love Azumi more than you ever will." Azumi's eyes began to fill with tears. "I love her so much that I wanted to free her from the pain she was enduring! I wanted to release her from the beasts within her and give her the revenge against the two of you that she longed for! Against the world!"

"But Azumi _is_ the beast, Uchiha!" Hashirama growled. He had his attention stuck on Kyuubi, trying his hardest not to let him free. "Azumi is the ten-tailed beast! It has taken control of the bodies it has devoured for years! It is not Azumi Hyuga! The beast devoured her body and soul and memories when we lost control of it years ago! She took Azumi's place and lives as the Clan Leader! There is nothing in that beast to love! Nothing! All you've done is made everything worse! And you, Tobirama," Hashirama glared at his brother. "You know better! It's not Azumi, brother. This is the beast that killed your betrothed all those years ago."

"Don't call her that, you bastard!" Madara swung his sword, knocking the white-haired man's away. "Azumi is not a beast!"

"If you can't see that, then you are a foolish imbecile." Hashirama grunted.

Madara then let out another laugh. "Say all you want. I will love HER until the day I die, Senju," He growled. "And anyone, man, woman or beast that even tries to hurt her will die by my hand. Including you!"

Hashirama gave a growl before tightening his hands. Kyuubi let out a snarl that turned into a small whine. That sound set a fire in Azumi's chest and she went off like a rocket. She zipped past Madara and Tobi, bringing both their attention to her as she jumped, landing a kick right in Hashirama's back, knocking him off balance and releasing his hold on the wood. Kyuubi immediately took this chance and ripped himself from the ground. He placed either paw beside Azumi as she stood beneath him, glaring at the three men before both of them.

"Azumi…" Tobirama's voice was surprised as they all gazed at the woman and the fox.

"I was beginning to wonder when you were going to show up," Kyuubi's deep voice chuckled. Madara had a large grin on his face.

The woman turned and looked up at the fox. "You left me," she sounded hurt. "You're all gone. You've left me. Why?"

The three men grew even more surprised as they watched the woman and the fox. One would think that Azumi would be glad to be free of the Tailed-Beasts. It seemed that she wasn't.

"My apologies," Kyuubi grinned. "But we're not to blame. Madara broke both seals, not just the one that he had planned on."

Azumi nodded. She could feel the other Beasts, but just barely. They were spread out all over the land. "Do…do you know where the others all are?"

"I can feel them, just as much as you can," Kyuubi replied. "But other than that? No." Azumi nodded her head and then turned back to the three silent men. Madara still wore that grin of his

"You're a fool, Azumi," Hashirama shook his head. "You let him trick you," He referred to Madara. "You fell right into his-"

"Shut up!" Azumi growled. "Just shut up! All of this is your fault!" Hashirama frowned. "Why…why couldn't you have just told me? None of this happened if you hadn't of used us like you had, you bastards!" She took a step forward.

"So what does this mean?" Hashirama asked her. "Are you going to help him with destroying the village?"

Azumi shook her head. "No, I won't." The brothers gave a sigh of relief just a bit too soon. "All I want…is my revenge on the two of you!"

"Revenge?" Was all that Hashirama had to say before Madara jumped on him again, pulling his attention away from the woman, leaving his brother to deal with her and the fox. He knew that that was going to be a bad idea and she had to get away from Madara and help Tobirama, but the Uchiha wasn't going to let him go anytime soon.

"Why are you doing this, Madara?" He decided to ask. "What are you going to gain from it?"

"This world…it is all messed up beyond everything that it was supposed to be. I'm not sure if it is you or your ancestors but that doesn't matter. The changing is going to start with you; here and now. Izuna…it's your fault my brother died!" Hashirama looked at him like he was crazy as the two of them still jumped and moved around, fighting the other off. "I'm not stupid. I'm not a fool. My brother may have been blind, but he was never stupid. He wouldn't have gone against the leader of the opposite side without me there to help him. And water wasn't what killed him! How could he have drowned?" Madara closed his eyes before jumping on Hashirama, gripping the front of his shirt. "All of this was you fault. The moment that you talked to us and joined up with the Uchihas everything fell to dust. Well, I'm not going to let it continue like this. I am going to kill the two of you…no, WE'RE going to kill the two of you and return everything to the way it should be."

"We?" Hashirama shook his head. "Madara, you're sti-" A cry made both men turn to the two on the other side of the field.

"No!" Madara shoved Hashirama away from him and immediately ran to Azumi as Tobirama pulled his sword from her chest. Her fears had been right. She was nowhere near as strong as she had been with the Tailed-Beasts. She had her strength taken and if she couldn't even handle Tobirama, there was no way that Madara was going to let her help him with his older brother. "Azumi!" He caught her before she could hit the ground and placed his hands over the wound. He tried to talk to her but her eyes had rolled backwards. He had to get out of here! But…he had come to kill the Senjus. How could he just leave them here…

"Go," the deep voice made Madara glance back up to see that Kyuubi had placed himself over the two of them, glaring at the brothers as they got ready for another attack. "They would kill her if they got their hands on her again. Get her safely from here and heal hear. I will buy you time."

Madara gave him another look before standing to his feet with Azumi's body in his arms. He stayed silent, just glaring at Hashirama before he disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the Leaf Village and the Nine-Tailed-Fox behind.

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	24. Chapter 23

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**Don't say Goodbye**

**They were gone. **And with them were all her powers. They were never really hers. Not the strength, none of it. She didn't miss the strength, she missed them. All of them already. She missed Shukaku's smart remarks. Rin's calm demeanor. Calryn's brilliant mind made him a wonderful conversationalist. Donji was a jerk but there was just something about him that made Azumi love to hang out with him. Basktor was just a sweet…whatever she was. Musktell, though as a slimy snail, was just adorable when you spent time with him; so polite. And Karnel may have had a hard outer shell but he was like a little kid once you got through to him. Octine just loved to play jokes on her and he was a sweetheart as well. And Kyuubi…she had to say that he was her favorite one of the nine. That was the one that she could talk to about anything and give her replies that helped her. In fact, Kyuubi was a lot like Madara was…and speaking of which…

The wound that Tobirama had given her was now a scar. Madara had healed it as best as he could but that wasn't his forte'. For the last two weeks the two of them were in some cave by a small lake in the woods. Madara was gone most of the time that she was awake but there was always food and water waiting on her when she awoke. Today though, there were a new change of clothes and some soap waiting on her. A sigh of relief escaped her. The water in the lake was going to be cold but she'd suffer through it to feel clean again.

As she walked, Azumi could still feel little stings from her wound but it wasn't nowhere near as bad as it had been. She would have to thank Madara for that if he ever stayed long enough for her to talk to him. Now that she didn't have the Beasts, would Madara return to her? Or was he just using her for the power she had? Was everything a lie?

~No,~ She shook her head. ~After what he said…it can't be.~

She had been right. The water was cold but as she scrubbed herself and watched as all the dirt and sweat and blood flowed away from her, she smiled. Deciding to relax in the water for a moment, she found herself waiting for the nine voices in her head to begin, but they never came. What was she going to do now? All the Tails had been taken from her, as had her strength. She couldn't even call it her own strength anymore. In truth, it had never been hers to begin with. For all those years she had been claiming victory and pride with power that wasn't hers. She felt stupid. She felt useless. She felt…lost.

What Madara had brought back for her turned out to be just regular sandals and black travel clothes. The Uchiha Symbol on the back of the shirt made her believe that these had been his clothes. After pulling on the clothes, she stared down into the water for a moment. She had to do a double-take. Her eyes were no longer the clear Hyuga that they normally were. Instead they were a Sharingan that looked like Madara's. The Mangekyo Sharingan.

"How?" She asked herself, searching her mind until she landed on her answer. "Abiro Uchiha." That elder man from the Uchiha Clan that she had spoken to that one day before the village was formed together. She had eaten him. Had she absorbed his power like she had all those times before? And if she did, why did she still have the Sharingan? Why wasn't that taken from her as well?

"Are you feeling better?"

Azumi closed her eyes as she pulled herself away from the water and turned to face him. "As good as I can be, I suppose. Did you find out what happened to Kyuubi?" She demanded. She could feel the fox somewhere to the Southeast but something was strange.

Madara pulled an enraged face. "Hashirama…he has sealed the 9-Tails into his wife."

Azumi looked horrified. "What!" Several things made her mad.

1. How dare Hashirama even touch Kyuubi.

2. How dare he place that fox into his wife! Was he going to erase her memory now, too?

3. What were his plans now? Was he going to try and kill Kyuubi? And what about the others? Were they in trouble as well?

"I have to go back. I can't leave Kyuubi there. Not with them! God knows what they'll do to him!"

"You can't go back for him, Azumi." Madara told her

"What?" The woman looked at him in shock. "Why not?"

"Hashirama will most likely kill you. Your strength was not truly yours. It was the Tailed Beasts. Another blow like Tobirama's would be fatal."

"But, what about them?" Azumi sounded lost. "What about Kari? I have to explain everything to her!"

"Kari already knew what you were." Madara revealed to her.

"What?"

"After they had been kidnapped she had seen you transform and came to Izuna and I that night, asking us what had happened. She knows everything."

~And still,~ A small smile crept up on Azumi's lips. ~She saw me as her aunt, not a monster. Never a monster.~ She shook her head. ~And never was she afraid. The strange child does take after me~ And that settled everything in her head.

"I…I still have to go back." Azumi continued. "Even if for just a moment."

"I am not going back," Madara growled, losing his patience. The anger in his voice made Azumi flinch as she stared at him. "There is nothing left for us there. Forget about it all, Azumi. Just come with me." He moved forward and grabbed her arms as she stared down at her. "Come with me and the two of us will go away and start something new. Together. Just leave everything behind and come with me. Please."

As she stared up into his eyes, Azumi felt her barriers breaking. The man was begging her to come with him to leave everything behind. She said they would start over from the beginning. She longed for that more than anything in the world. She would love to just throw everything to the past and so somewhere new and start a family, but she knew that they couldn't; not together. Madara could, but Azumi wouldn't. She'd still feel the Tailed Beasts and with that she wouldn't be able to just stay there and do nothing. Not when horrible things could happen to all of them.

_**~Things are changing**_

_**It seems strange and**_

_**I need to figure this out**_

_**You've got your life**_

_**I got mine~**_

"I…" Azumi struggled with that to say. She wanted to go, but…but she had to make a choice. And she had to make it now. "I can't, Madara. I just can't.:"

His grip tightened. "I will not be returning," He hissed. "And I will not be waiting for your return, either."

His words struck her head like his sword had during the night they first met. What now? She knew what to do, but it was going to hurt both of them. But she had too. Setting a stone face, Azumi pushed herself away from him. "Fine. Run off and leave me here. It doesn't matter. I am not going to leave Kyuubi and the others to a fate that they don't deserve! Just because they're strong and fierce and different doesn't mean they can be treated like they are! It's not fair and I'm not going to leave them to that! So you go ahead and leave. Run! I can take care of all of this without you!"

_**~But you're all I cared about**_

_**Yesterday we were laughing**_

_**Today I'm left here asking~**_

She prayed, begged to herself, longed to hear Madara's footsteps behind her. She wanted him to come after her and try to stop her or just go with her and help her, but she didn't hear anything. Didn't feel anything. He wasn't going to follow her. Everything she loved was falling apart. All of it. What was she supposed to do now? Just go on without him? She felt so…so different without Madara and she wasn't even away from him for five minutes. Her heart was crumbling! How was she going to feel that night? Tommorrow? A week from now? A month? First Izuna, then Shukaku and the others and now Madara? Why was everything important to her being taken away from her? What that just the fate that she was going to have to deal with?

_**~Where has all the time gone now**_

_**I'm left alone somehow**_

_**Growing up and getting older**_

_**I don't want to believe it's over~**_

She didn't know where she was, but she could feel Kyuubi so she just followed that. The others were fading away, their power growing small, but she could still feel them. She had to go and see them all. As she traveled through the trees, she tried to keep the tears from falling but they didn't want to hear her. They fell anyway as the images of her and the brothers, of her and the Tailed beasts. Now that she thought about it, those were the happiest times of her life. It seemed like everything with them just started yesterday and now it was all ruined.

_**~Don't say goodbye**_

_**Cause I don't wanna hear those words tonight**_

_**Cause maybe it's not the end for you and I~**_

She was alone now. She didn't have anyone now because they all were taken from her, one way or another. She hadn't wanted that. She was foolish to think that maybe, just maybe, they would all be able to stay like that. Together forever, but they couldn't. Everyone parted in every life but she…she hadn't wanted to say goodbye. Not just yet.

_**~And although we knew**_

_**This time would come for me and you**_

_**Don't say anything tonight**_

_**If you're gonna say goodbye~**_

Azumi gave a heartless laugh as it began to rain on her. That just brought back more memories of her and the Uchiha brothers over the last year. The three of them loved with go walking in the rain; Madara being dragged behind them by Izuna or Kari when she went with them. The two of them would walk her back to the Hyuga estate, wishing her a pleasant night and an invite to breakfast the next morning. It was a goodbye for the night, but never one that lasted for too long.

_**~Do you remember**_

_**In December**_

_**How we swore we'd never change~**_

She found herself constantly throwing looks over her shoulder for the Uchiha, but he was never there. She still had her fingers crossed for days that he would be standing over her when she woke up, but he never was. She almost always had someone with her. Now she was alone.

_**~Even though you're leaving**_

_**That our feelings**_

_**Would always stay the same**_

_**I wish we could be laughing~**_

When she was Moka, at least she had her sons to take care of her. When she was Remora, the Sage's son took care of her, even though his feelings were not the same since she had been absorbed by the Tailed Beasts. As Sakura, she had a whole family that still took care of her and Tero still loved Merona, despite knowing that she had the Beasts inside of her. Hiyori was taken care of by her brother, Van, until…until he died. It was after that that Azumi was brought into the picture with the Hyuugas.

_**~Instead I'm standing here asking**_

_**Do we have to end this now**_

_**Can we make it last somehow~**_

It was then that SHE had been brought forth…and now everything was messing up. Everything that she had was now falling apart. And it all started with the Senju brothers. But there was nothing that she could do about it now. She just had to figure out what she was going to do.

_**~We both know what we've gotta say, not today**_

_**Cause I don't wanna leave this way~**_

No, she knew what she was going to do. She didn't know how long it was going to take though. No, it didn't matter how long it was going to take. She was going to do all that she could to get all of them back. She was never going to lose another person. Ever. Never to anyone else and never even in death.

_**~And if it's over**_

_**It hurts but I'm giving you my word**_

_**I hope that you're always**_

_**Happy like we were**_

_**Happy like we were~**_

Azumi gave a small laugh at herself as she decided to stop for a break. What was she going to do now? Where would she live? Should she just go to another city, another village? Maybe Sungakure or Takigakure or maybe even Kirigakure. There was an entire land for her to choose from now; she only had to settle on one.

_**~Yesterday we were laughing **_

_**Today I'm left here asking **_

_**And although we knew this time would come for me and you**_

_**Don't say anything tonight**_

_**If you're gonna say goodbye~**_

**Konoha looked like hell. **Some repairs had been done but most of it was still in shambles and the smell of blood was still in the air. It had been two weeks. The Senju brothers would have repaired them by now. Kyuubi must have done some horrible damage to the two of them.

Azumi knew that she would not be welcomed her if seen so she did her best to hide as she made her way to the Hyuuga estate. She would grab a few things there before paying a visit to the brothers and then she would finally leave. It was in the middle of the day so not very many were home; it had to be because they were either slaughtered or still wounded.

She didn't know what to expect when she entered her room, but she sure didn't think she'd find Kari sitting on her bed, staring out the window. When the door opened, the child turned her head to the woman in the doorway. The tear-streaked face turned into one of glee before crying out her name and jumping on her.

Azumi listened to Kari's cries and fears of her not returning, of her not being safe, and a sad smile broke out on the elder woman's face. "Kari," She said softly after the child had calmed down. "Where is everyone?"

"The fight…the fight killed so many and some are still wounded. The Senju brothers included. Mito now holds…she holds the fox within her. Hashirama placed it inside of her."

"But…but why?"

"To keep him under control," Kari was a lot smarted than she had thought. Izuna must have taken hand in that. "I just…I don't know what's happened after that. I saw him take her to his house. None of them have left since, I don't think."

Azumi patted Kari on the head before grabbing a bag and moving around the room, searching through the drawers. "Their house, right?"

"Yes," Kari watched her for a second. "What are you doing?"

"I'm…I'm going to go talk to them before…before I leave."

"You're leaving again?" Kari demanded, grabbing her shirt. "But why?"

"It's…it's complicated, Kari. I can't stay here anymore," She answered truthfully. "You'll understand when you're older."

"But I want to understand now!" The child told her, stomping her feet.

Azumi smiled at her as she finished packing before swooping the child up in her arms and hugging her. "Don't worry, Kari," She forced herself to lie. "You'll see me again soon. I'll come back, all right?"

"You promise?" She asked her with a hard look.

"Of course. Have I ever lied to you before?" Azumi asked her.

"No," Kari gave a sigh before hugging her aunt. "Be careful. And bring back stories to tell me, okay?"

"Of course, sweetie." Azumi kissed the top of her head. "Now I have to go see the brothers. Be a good girl, all right?"

"Yeah," Kari said sadly as she was set back down.

Azumi gave another smile before turning to leave the room, her bag in her hands. She didn't waste any time in knocking on the Senju's door before entering when she arrived there. Not one soul was found in the house until she reached Hashirama and Mito's bedroom. The brothers were there, quietly talking as the wife and daughter slept on the bed.

"Ah, Azumi," Tobirama looked up at her as his brother stayed silent. "You've returned. Is Madara with you?"

"No, he's not," She ignored the pain that shuttered through her body. "I hear that you sealed the fox within Mito," She turned her face to the elder Senju. "Do you plan on erasing her memory as well?"

"There is no need for that," The man shook his head. "There is only one of the creatures sealed inside of Mito so the power will not be able to control her like it was able to do with you."

Azumi felt a fire burst to life inside of her at his words but she calmed herself. She remembered something and she raised her hand to the crystal that Hashirama had used to control her. "Here, take it." She took the crystal off of her neck and tossed it at Hashirama. "It's not like I need it anymore." She paused for a minute. "Being normal now is…is strange." She slowly admitted to them as she looked at her hands.

"You're still not normal, Azumi," the Hokage decided to reply.

"What do you mean?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Only nine of the Ten-Tails left your body," Hashirama shook his head. "You still contains a beast within you, whether it had a form like the others or not. You are still part of the Ten-Tailed Beast."

Azumi froze for a moment before small grin spread out across her face. That explained why she had the Sharingan. She was surprised that the brothers didn't ask about it, but now she knew that they already had to know all about it. So…if she still had a part of it within her, that's why she could feel the others. That meant that she hadn't lost all of them as she had feared. There still had to be a way.

Small footsteps pounded on the floor as Kari burst into the room. Azumi should have known that the child would have followed her. "Uncle Izuna and Uncle Madara were right! You are the monster, Hashirama. We're all monsters for using Auntie Azi like this!"

Azumi placed a hand on Kari's head. "Hush, little one."

"But-"

"I didn't come here to fight or stay, Hashirama," Azumi lifted her head back to the brothers as she cut the child off. "I just came to say goodbye so just leave her alone." She told them.

"But why? You could-" Her glare cut Tobirama off.

"Not to you," She turned back to Kari and Mito. "To them…to Kari…and to Kyuubi. The two of them are the only ones that I'll regret leaving behind."

Azumi moved forward towards the bed. She felt Hashirama tense as she passed him but she ignored that as she moved beside the sleeping woman on the bed. She didn't know if this was going to work, but she prayed that it did. She reached out with her hand and touched the seal that she knew would be on Mito's stomach.

_She must have been right because she was no longer in Hashirama's bedroom, but in a dark place. It was no longer the cave that she normally would be in. She was ankle-deep in water with two torches on either side that lit up the large gate before her. There were scrolls of sealing on the bars, keeping what was behind them inside. It didn't take her long to figure out what was being held back._

"_Why did you return?" Kyuubi's deep voice made its way to her, his large red eyes opened in the dark._

"_You didn't think that I would just leave you here, did you?" She asked him. "Especially after learning that you were…were sealed away?"_

"_There's nothing that you can do," the fox closed his eyes again. "You're not what you used to be now that the nine of us are gone."_

"_I know that, but still…on my way here, I…I decided something. I swore something to myself that I'm not going to allow myself to break. I will train and train and get all that strength back on my own to do so." She locked eyes with Kyuubi. "I will get you back," She told him. "The ten of us will all be whole again, no matter what it takes or how long it will be."_

_Kyuubi was silent for a moment. "You are a part of us therefore you cannot die or age unless all of us die as well. It will take years and years to get all of that strength back."_

"_I know that," Azumi set her face. "And that's what I'm planning on doing. If the nine of you can wait, I will find a way, no matter how long!"_

_The Demon-Fox grinned at her. "I will be waiting, Azumi." His eyes closed again. "Don't leave the others hanging. You should go find them and tell them as well, or else they'll be afraid that you forgot all about them."_

"_I could never do that," She moved forward and placed her forehead against the bars. "This is all my fault. If only I had been smarter! None of this would have happened."_

"_If you truly feel responsible for it," Kyuubi's voice gave his final words of advice as she felt her grip slipping from her. "Then do something about it."_

Azumi gave a small laugh as she pulled away from the woman and turned to the three behind her. Hashirama seemed relieved as Kari still looked angrily and Tobirama wanted to speak but kept shooting glances at his brother. "You won't have to worry about me anymore, you two. I will not have the strength to accomplish my goal any time soon, so you need not fear an attack on your village from me."

"But you tell us that there will be one in the future?" Hashirama asked her.

"Perhaps…if this village stands in my way…" Azumi's voice faded away as she stared off for a moment before moving towards the door.

"Where will you go now?" Hashirama called after her. "What are your plans?"

"I don't quite knew where I'll go, but I'm sure I'll settle somewhere until my time comes again. I pray that you an your brother's lives are long; the two of you were my best friends from the begging of what I remembered and though it changed towards the end of all this doesn't mean I wish you harm."

Hashirama's face stayed plain but he closed his eyes and hung his head. Azumi gave a small smile before leaving the room behind, feeling she had said all that needed to be.

No one was still out on the streets and she was pleased with that. They wither were really wounded like Kari had told her or they were all hiding from her. Either way worked out for her, as the peace allowed her thoughts begin to roam again on where she would go.

"Azumi," Tobirama's voice made the woman turn just before she reached the gate of the village. "Wait," He was breathing hard. The Fox must have done a strong number on him to have him breathing like that already after such a short run. The woman ignored him and went to move on but he grabbed her cloak. "Please! Please stay," Tobirama gripped her cloak harder as she stared ahead. "Don't leave. Stay…for me!" His voice was cracking. "I…It may be true that you were used by my brother but never once have I seen you as a monster! I always saw you as a woman, a woman I loved and one that I wanted to protect. Every time we went off into battle I would keep an eye on you and do all that I could to protect you. The two of us would always have so much fun and when my brother and Mito got married, I saw you and I in their place. I saw us with children of our own, Azumi. Please…just give me a chance to make up everything that I've done. Just don't…don't leave me again."

She was silent for a moment before she turned and knocked his hand off of her cloak. Tobirama raised his eyes to stare at the cold, emotionless face that he would always see on Madara peering back down at him. "I would have," Her voice told him as she turned to continue on her way. "Once upon a time."

She didn't feel Tobirama come after her this time and she let out a sigh of relief and closed her eyes. She had once dreamed about her and Tobirama coming together like Hashirama and Mito had, but that was years ago. That was something that she dreamed of as a child. The ones that she knew she wanted now…both the Uchihas had left her behind, and she feared that she would never be getting them back. So now, she had nothing to blind her mind from the task she had set before her.

"Auntie Azi! Auntie, wait!" This voice surprised Azumi and she turned to see Kari running at her this time. The young child had a small sack on her shoulders as tears dripped from her eyes as she stopped before the older woman. "Auntie, I…" Kari rubbed her tears away. "I want to go with you! Please take me with you!"

Azumi gave a small smile. "You need to stay here with your mother; with your family, Kari."

"But you are my family!" The child cried, grabbing Azumi's pants and clinging to them. "You're the one that takes care of me! You're the one that came after me when I was kidnapped! You're the one that plays with me! You're the one that teaches me! You're the one that reads to me! You come and sing me to sleep again after I have nightmares! No one does what you do for me! You're my mother, Auntie! I've always wanted you to be my mommy! You do everything for me! You can't just leave me!"

"Kari," Azumi sighed, unsure of what to do now.

"If you leave, I'll just follow you! No matter how many times you have to bring me back I'll follow you!" Kari told her fiercely now. "I may not know much, I may not be able to fight, but I'll learn and I'll do everything it takes to stay with you! I refuse to let you go off on your own! I'm going with you, no matter what you say! Please!'

Azumi stared down at the child before kneeling down and wrapping her arms around her, tears of her own; this time they were of happiness though. Kari was more like a daughter to her than anything. How could she just plan to leave her behind like that? She thought that it would be better if she did but…but it seemed like someone else had other plans for her.

"All right," She told the child softly. "But you have to promise to be extra tough, okay? We'll be training and training like you will not believe. Both of us are starting from the beginning and you have to promise not to quit."

Kari nodded her head before pulling back. A huge smile rested on her lips as she rubbed the rest of the tears away. "I promise." She glanced back over her shoulder before her pale eyes turned back to Azumi. "Will we ever be coming back?"

Azumi held her hand out to the child before the two of them began to walk away. "I would like to think that we will…one day."

**Whew, long chapter, right guys? Hoped you liked it. ONLY TWO Chapters left :)**

**The Song to this Chapter is 'Don't Say Goodbye' by Skillet. Fitted perfectly. :)**

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	25. Epilogue Part 1

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Epilogue, Part 1**

**Joining**

**The Beast's roars sounded through the woods as the six figures over looked it from the cliff they stood on. **The large Two-Tailed Cat was slicing the Kumogakure into pieces like flies. The Village of Lightning was not as strong as everyone believed it to be.

"Rin is rather upset, isn't she, Auntie?" One of the figures glanced at the woman beside her.

"Indeed she is," A soft voice replied as they continued to watch. "Yuichi, Hisayo, you know what to do?"

"Of course," The young man replied while the woman beside him nodded. "Yukari, Chiyu?"

"Don't worry about us," Chiyu grinned. "Azumi…are you sure about this?"

Azumi Saya turned to look at the five behind her. She hadn't aged a day, still residing at the height of 5'8', her hair now reached the back of her knees and today her eyes were the tan Byakugan they normally were. She was dressed in silver robes designed with the image of a fierce dragon with the sleeves pulled far past her hands and feet.

"Just go," The woman told them.

Yuichi smirked at his teacher. "Idiotic, old lady."

Yuichi Kura was in his twenties at the height of 6'3' with short, spiky dark green hair and red eyes. He held three ear piercings and snake bites. He was dressed in a black coat with a pair of matching pants with an Amegakure headband.

"I'm sorry, Master Chiyu," Hisayo gave a small bow.

Hisayo Tamao was a blind young woman in her middle twenties at 5'6' with long burgundy hair. With four piercings in her ears and with one in her eyebrow and lip, she wore brown with a shite scarf around her neck with a matching Rain village headband.

"Don't worry about it, he's always been like that." The elder woman replied as the two of them followed after the boy.

Chiyu Etsu was in her 40's at 5'10' with long red hair in a braid to her waist and grey eyes. She was dressed in a kimono top in silver and red with a spider stretched across it with a pair of black pants and boots.

"These people are idiots."

Kari glanced at the woman beside her. Yukari Sae was in her late 20's at 5'6' with long, dark purple hair and green eyes. She was head to foot in black with a matching vest with an Anbu mask on her face.

"You get used to them." Kari told the other woman.

"I don't want to," Yukari sighed before jumping off the cliff.

"I wouldn't either," Azumi sighed. "You all just came to me."

"Be nice, Auntie." Kari giggled before clearing her throat and putting a blank look back in its place.

Kari now looked like she was in her late 20's with long white hair and pale tan eyes of the Hyuugas. She was in long black pants and a pink top with white snowflakes.

"It's been over seventy years," She stared at her Aunt as she spoke. "Over seventy years and I still can't find a way to retrieve them; any of them."

"You could kill the Jinchuriki to get them." Kari suggested.

Azumi scoffed. "No thank you." She continued to watch as the 4 below them battle the child that Rin had been trapped within. "My hands have seen enough blood over the centuries of my life."

Kari smiled softly. Azumi no longer fought anything unless she had too. She no longer killed anyone unless there was no other option. The woman had retrieved all of the strength she once had, and then some over the last 70 years, but she refused to use it unless it was absolutely necessary. And that's why so many had decided to join her little 'village'.

"You'll find a way, auntie," the woman told the others. "We do have forever, do we not?"

Azumi fought a grin. "Go, Kari."

"Of course."

The woman in silver continued to watch the ones below her in silence. She hadn't been expecting them to be such a threat to the Tailed Beast, but they were holding their own. Their strength and speed were impeccable, and it should have been, seeming as how they all lived with her, but still…Even with Rin being sealed away she was impressed. She was proud. Her little psycho family was coming together quite nicely. But now was not the time to watch in awe.

Clapping her hands together, Azumi took a deep breath.

"_**No one knows the reason why we are here  
>Just that, with all might<br>For someone  
>I want to shine"<br>**_

As the soft voice flew down to them from the top of the cliffs, Yuichi smirked. Azumi had started. "All right," He turned to the women around the closure with him. "Remember not to hurt the child. So Yukari, stay back."

"_**From the moment,**_

_**I began to wish that **_

_**I want to live for someone with all my might, **_

_**My heart began to beat faster"**_

Yukari shot him the bird. "Suck it, paper boy." She wanted this to be over with soon so she could go off on another of her missions. It wasn't that she didn't like Azumi or the others…she just didn't like people period.

"_**I believe  
>That this sky is…<br>...is connected to your side  
>I believe"<strong>_

Chiyu closed her eyes, listening to the soft voice of the woman above her. The song was used for the calming of the Tailed Beasts when the Jinchuriki's lost themselves to their power in rage or sadness, but it also soothed anyone that heard it. Azumi truly was something else.

_**"Towards the light  
>I close my eyes and remember<br>That voice I miss  
>It does not fade"<strong>_

Hisayo furrowed her brows in frustration. She was un able to look upon such beauty with her own eyes. It wasn't fair but as she had learned over the course of her years…life wasn't fair.

"_**Fragments of memory  
>If I grip important things one by one<br>The inside of my heart will become wide"  
><strong>_

"Shall we?" Kari didn't wait for an answer before charging at the rampaging child. They could already tell that the song was calming the Tailed Beast down but they still had a little ways to go.

_**"Your voice  
>Resonates in this sky<br>Even in this endless loneliness  
>It continues to live"<br>**_

This was her chance. The seal's grip was weakening just like it had with all the others. She had to take it and take it now! It might not be what she wanted to do with the Tailed Beast, but it was the best that she had at the moment. For now.

_**"I Believe  
>That this sky is..,.<br>is connected to your side"**_

_The cave was cold, though there was fire. The blue fire was all around the area, making the cage that Rin sat in bright. The Two-Tailed Cat gazed at the woman before her with her yellow and green eyes._

"_So, come for another chat, Azumi?" Rin's voice held annoyance, but that was understandable. She had been switched between cage and cage for the last 70 years. Nothing, NOTHING, was ever meant to be locked in a cage._

"_Rin…" What could Azumi really say? She had promised the 9 of them that she would save them from being used as weapons in the other clans, and she still had yet found a way to free them. She had been searching, trying, but nothing ever worked. _

"_How's your life been?" The Cat's voice was furious. "Have you accomplished everything you've set out to do? I'm sure that you've had enough time to do so." Azumi called out the Cat's name again in a sadder tone, but she just continued in her ranting. Azumi stayed silent and closed her eyes, taking in all that Rin said. When she had finally said everything that she needed to, Azumi's eyes snapped back open. Rin flinched. They were no longer the tan Hyuuga eyes they had once been. They were now the cruel, harsh Uchiha._

"_If you are done," Azumi' voice was cold and hard. "I would like to get this over with so I can be on my way."_

"_You insolent-"_

"_While I speak," The woman cut her off. "You shall listen and only listen; not reply." The Tailed Beast was taken aback. "Now I know that you and the others are disappointed and fed up with waiting, but you're just going to have to wait a little longer before I succeed with what we want. You can wait just a bit longer, can you not?"_

_Things were silent as the two of them stared at the other before Rin gave a smirk. "You've taken after Donji a bit too much since we've been apart."_

"_I took after you all," The woman replied. "Different circumstances call for different replies."_

_Rin gave a nod. "I suppose a little longer won't be too much of a problem." She lowered her head. "I apologize. I know you're not someone I should take my anger out on. The very last."_

"_You do not need to apologize." Azumi told the creature behind the bars. "But just so you know, whenever you break free of the Jinchuriki and go crazy like now, I will stop everything and come to you. So if you ever feel lonely…"_

_Rin gave a growling laugh. "I'll keep that in mind."_

_Azumi was silent, staring at the large cat for a moment. "Are you sure?"_

_Rin knew what she was asking. "I have been stuck behind several sets of bars for the last 200 years, Azumi. I don't think a few more will be a problem. Go do what you need to do. Just don't forget about us."_

"_Never." Azumi assured her._

"_**I believe  
>Your voice<br>Resonates in this sky"  
><strong>_

Yuichi paused and caught the young, blonde child in his arms as she fainted. The Tailed Beast's chakra had receded and he gave a small smile. Azumi had calmed the Cat down.

_**"Even in this endless loneliness  
>The light continues to live"<strong>_

As the song came to its finish, all their heads turned to the woman in silver above them. Azumi gave Chiyu and Yuichi a nod. The two of them were to return the child to the Cloud Village before returning to their own. The others would be leaving with Azumi.

As the two groups separated, leaving the wounded and half-dead ninja that had been attacking the Jinchuriki in the clearing to their own fates. None of them noticed the lone figure that had been watching there from the beginning. They had been wondering…just how they going to approach this matter, but as they watched the woman in silver leave, a smile broke out across their face.

___**I waited for you today  
>But you didn't show<br>No no no  
>I needed You today<br>So where did You go?~**_

"**Ah, the closest thing that we can call home, right ladies?" **Yuichi grinned as he stared down at the small village beneath them.

"Home is where the heart is," Hisayo replied with a small smile. "Or, at least that's what I've heard."

"Well, if that's the case then Yukari doesn't have a home since she doesn't have a heart." The man replied. A few moments later, he was falling through the barrier and into the village, rubbing his back as the enraged woman chased after him.

"You would think she would be more mature with her age," Chiyu sighed, shaking her head.

"Like you should talk," Hisayo scolded her teacher. "Just look at the book you and your partner write."

"Please don't' bring him into this," Chiyu shook her head. "And my books are NOTHING like Jiraiya's!"

Hisayo chuckled. "True, but who continues to allow him to write his?"

"Now is not the time to discuss this," Chiyu walked towards the barrier. "I need to return soon. I need to grab my things." Hisayo sighed and followed the elder woman through the barrier.

Kari moved as well but turned back to Azumi when she hadn't. "Is something wrong?"

The elder woman shook her head, her eyes closed. "No, go ahead and return to the others. I'll be right behind you." Kari was cautious but did what her Aunt told her too. When Kari was gone, Azumi raised her voice. "You would do best to calmly come out of hiding before I drag you out myself."

"There's not need to get violent," A deep, male voice chuckled. "I should have known that Azumi Hyuuga, of all people, would be able to sense me."

"Saya." Azumi corrected him. "I do not go by the name of that Clan anymore." Azumi had been expecting her tales and history to be released somewhere in this world, but it still surprised her, it seemed.

"Oh, but you still are, are you not? In fact, you are part of many tills, including the Uchiha." The voice chuckled again.

Azumi turned to face the figure. The man was covered head to foot in black with the matching, short spikey hair as he wore a mask over his face. The mask was orange with black flame patterns across it with only one right eye hole.

Azumi's eyes narrowed. There was only one man that she had seen ever with that mask. And one that she had not seen, not even heard from in over 70 years.

Madara Uchiha.

"Long time no see." He said.

_**~You told me to call  
>Said You'd be there<br>And though I haven't seen You  
>Are You still there?~<strong>_

**The room was dark, only a candle or two lit up, sending eerie shadows over the pictured carved into the cave walls. **Azumi had led the new man into the village, lowering the barrier so he could enter. Normally, no one outside of the village was allowed to enter the barrier, but this was an exception. Everyone in the village could feel the man's power and had poked their heads outside of their homes to take a gander at the new man but all of them kept silent.

"You have done quite well for yourself, Azumi. I'm impressed," He told her. "Even made your own little ninja village, it seems. The Crescent Village, hmm?"

Azumi scoffed. "I created nothing. I don't ask for them to come. They flock to me, thinking that I can put an end to their problems." She pulled a face at the name. "The Saiko sisters created that."

"I see that they even went through and made Headbands for you little group as well," He chuckled, picking one off of the table by the candles. It was black, with the steel plate on it like the other villages with a crescent moon in it. He set it back down before taking a look at the cave around them. Carved onto the walls were the images of the nine Tailed Beasts and beneath them, hanging on the wall from a kunai, were the headbands of the villages. It must have been a sign of where the Beats were currently at. He saw holes in the wall, meaning that several had been moved before.

Shukaku was in the Land of Sand.

Rin was in the Land of Lightning.

Calryn was in the Land of Mist.

Donji was in the Land of Rocks.

Basktor was in the Land of Rocks.

Musktell was in the Land of Mist.

Karnel was in the Lance of Waterfall.

Octine was in the Land of Lightning.

And Kyuubi was in the Land of Fire.

"I see that you are still obsessed with your friends."

"Did you think anything would have changed? You stood there and watched the even earlier this evening, did you not?"

"Indeed I did. I didn't expect you to sing to the Beast."

"It…It calms them down," Azumi said softly as she gazed at the carvings in the wall. They nine of them all looked so happy in her mind when they were together, but now…she could feel their hate; their pain!

"Does this mean that you are trying to free them?" Azumi raised an eyebrow as she turned to the man behind her.

"And if I am?"

The man in the mask moved closer to her. "What would you be willing to do to set them free? To have them return to you?"

"What are you getting at?" She asked him.

"This world," The man turned from her for a moment. "Is pathetic. It always has been. There is nothing but war and betrayal and death. Look at how they treated you and all you did was protect them to the end of the rope. And look what they're doing to your precious friends." He faced her again. "I wish to return them to you, Azumi, I wish you make you whole again. And with that, the two of us can restart this world over from the beginning…and make something so much more."

"What do you mean?"

"You have the Sharingan. When you are once again the Ten-Tails you can use your Mangekyo on the moon. With that, the Infinite Tsukuyomi will allow us control over everything…creating a world in which no war or crime has ever occurred!"

"Control everything?" Azumi looked at the man like he was crazy for a moment before her face fell back into nothingness. "Old age has given you crazy ideas."

"So crazy that it'll work. Don't you hate seeing how Shukaku and the others are treated. They're not monsters, Azumi. All those years ago…it was you that taught me that." He lowered his head for a moment. "If I had gone back to Konoha with you…if I had stayed with you…things would have been different. But I'm here now and with a plan that could settle everything and turn the world into perfection for us all? Don't you hate knowing how many children have lost their parents in the wars? All the pain you see on the face of children as you walk through the cities and see them begging for food and shelter? With no war and no crime, we can have the people under our control. You would no longer have to be trapped and everyone could live happily together. The only death that would be suffered would be from old age or natural causes, not from some idiot wanting to pick a fight." He turned back to the woman behind him, taking steps closer. "Please, Azumi. I want to bring you to a world where you are not seen as a monster…I want to bring you somewhere that you are seen as the beautiful, calming, loving woman that my brother and I saw in you. The woman that Kari and all these others see you as. These villagers all around this place know about your past, do they not? And still they stay with you…because they see what I can see. After all this time…don't you think that you deserve something better?"

Azumi was silent for a moment before glancing at the walls again. "You…you have found a way to return them to me?" She asked him.

"Yes," He nodded. "You will have to wait until the nine of them are all together again before they can return to your body, but hey will be yours again."

She gave a silent sigh and closed her eyes. "For 70 years…I've been wondering just what would I do if a certain Uchiha ever showed his face to me again…I've thought about killing him…beating him…torturing him…cooking him…so many things, but now I think I know what I'm going to do." She turned and faced the man with a smile.

The man gave a sigh of relief as a smile broke out across his face behind the mask. "You will not regret this, Azumi. I will make this world perfect for you…for us. I promise. There's just one thing," He took a breath. "You can't go around calling me Madara anymore." He told her.

"Oh?" She crossed her arms. "What should I call you?"

"Tobi."

**Whoo! Only One more chapter! And for those who are up to date with the Naruto Manga and what was just revealed don't worry. I've already thought this out in my head so it works. If you wanna know what that is, you'll just have to stick around, won't you? ;)**

**And for the question on how Kari's still alive and young after 70 years, I know that it's coming, it's a surprise. You'll just have to wait a little longer for that answer.**

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	26. Epilogue Part 2

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Final Chapter! Oh god, I'm going to cry!**

**Epilogue, Part 2**

**Orders**

**The cave was crowded. **37 people stood there, their heads turning as Azumi entered. ~I never really noticed just how many birds flocked to the West~ She took noticed of the three, young children that looked extremely nervous and had no idea why they were here. ~I knew I shouldn't have dropped the barrier~ she scolded herself. When she called for a meeting, she dropped the barrier to allow them all inside. It was better than dropping it and then pulling it back up multiple times was just too tiresome for her. Now she was wishing that she had.

"Akemi," One of the women immediately turned from her conversation. "Why do you deem it necessary to bring yet another set of your students here?"

Akemi gave a laugh. "Oh, come now. The fate of this world is in these little tykes. Why not put some on the winning side?" These were several chuckles through the group but the three children didn't seem amused. "Azumi, this is Okina Miyu, Yuriko Nao, and Chiako Bunko. Squad 3 of Konoha."

"Your eyes," Yuriko spoke. "How do you have the Sharingan? Are you related to Sasuke?"

A sharp laugh came from the front of the group. "Azumi related to Sasuke Uchiha? Please. He could never amount to the power she has."

"Tamae," Azumi sighed.

"Tamae?" Okina spoke this time. "As in Tamae Kotone?"

"Oh, it looks like you have friends, Tamae." Another woman snickered.

"Shut up, Amaya, or I'll feed you to your little pet."

"Hey, leave shark-boy outta this!"

Azumi watched as the young girl that had spoken before, Yuriko, lunged in for an attack but Akemi grabbed the back of her shirt. "Let me go!" she screamed. "She and Itachi massacred the entire Uchiha Clan! They're brought Sasuke so much pain! They're murderers!"

"That's right," Tamae smirked, crossing her arms. "And just what does a brat like you plan on doing about it?"

"Stop it, Tamae," Azumi's voice made the woman fall silent but her smirk didn't leave. "What has happened in the past means nothing through that barrier." Azumi inwardly scolded herself again for dropping said barrier. "If you cannot keep it to yourself within this village, then I shall send you back to the Leaf."

The child shot Tamae another look before nodding. Akemi gave a sigh of relief as Chiako decided to speak now. "Just…what is going on here? Where exactly have you brought us?" She asked their teacher.

"Kari," Azumi turned to her niece. "Take the children outside. We'll talk later."

The woman moved immediately, leading the three of them outside as Azumi moved towards the head of the Cave. "The rest of you don't have any surprises in-store for me, do you?" She watched as they all stayed silent. "A task has finally fallen into my lap."

"You mean, the Crescent Village has finally decided to make itself known?" A voice asked.

"I would rather it not, but seeming as how you fools will all be wearing the headbands that the Saiko sisters created, I really don't have a choice in the matter to say yes or no."

"What's going on, Azumi?" A quiet, male voice called out.

"As you recall a few years ago, there was a man in a mask here. I appreciate that those that knew about him didn't ask questions, but now the time for answers have come. He is going by the name of Tobi, and he has come forward, offering to help bring the Tailed beasts back to me."

"He's found a way?" Another voice asked.

"Indeed."

"How?"

"That is not on my agenda to reveal," Azumi replied. "The two of us have been working together. He's called forth for a few people to join with his own to help catch the Beasts."

"Only a few?" A few repeated. "Who? And what about the others?"

"The few that I have chosen will stay behind so I can speak to them. The others have a job of their own. While the others work, you will have to keep an eye on the other Beasts yourselves until they arrive to grab them." Azumi took a breath. "Everyone will have different Tails to watch and different times to do so to keep your villages or friends from knowing what you're doing. As for the ones that live in Konoha…you won't have to worry about keeping an eye on Kyuubi since you already know where he is at. Same as the four of you that live near Shukaku."

"You're actually serious about this, aren't you?" Azumi glanced at Hisayo. "You're going to get them back."

"Yes. For too long the ten of us have been separated. For too long have I searched for an answer just to not receive. One finally comes to me and so, I shall take it." Azumi turned to the carvings on the wall for a second before turning back to the people before her. "If any of you wish to back out now, you are free to do so. I will not make you go through with this. All I ask…is that you don't get in my way if the time ever comes around."

Things were silent for a moment before a woman stepped forward into the candlelight. She was 5'4' in height and looked about in her mid 20's with long blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes. Around her neck was a Waterfall Village headband with a slash through it while on her forehead was one with the Crescent moon as she was dressed in purple and blue.

"Azumi," Reina Saiko shook her head. "How can you ask us that? For years you have taken care of us. For those who have been banned from their villages you have given a home. For years you have protected us. You have set everything aside for us, keeping us from harm and treating us as family. You took me and my sisters in when we had nowhere else to go. You have saved multitudes of us from death or prison. My sisters and I were named as S-Ranked Criminals and still you took us in like we were no harm to you or the others. If you have a task you wish to be accomplished, all you need is ask. I will do all that I can to return everything that you have done for me and my sisters two-fold. And I will not stop until what you want has been given."

The young woman's words seemed to knock doubt from all the other's minds as agreement traveled through the cave. Azumi gave a pleased smile as she gazed out over the ones before. She appreciated this. She had been fearing for them to leave her behind when the mention of the Beasts returning to her came up, but it seemed that Fate had other plans for her.

"Thank you. I will come and see your groups in a moment while I discuss the task with the ones I've chosen. Everyone but the Saiko sisters, Hisayo, Yukari, Yuichi, Chie, Tamae, and Amaya can leave. Akemi, send Kari back in." Everyone but the ten ninja left; Kari joined them again soon.

"What are we going to be doing?" Yuichi asked.

"A few of you already know of the Akatsuki, do you not?" She looked at Yuichi and Hisayo. "I know that the two of you do, and I'm sure that you, Tamae, know where the Uchiha friend of yours went." She closed her eyes. "And others have most likely come across you as well." She looked over the ten of them.

Reina had two sisters. Reiko was the middle sister at 5'4' with long brown hair and matching blue eyes. She was head to foot in white with the two headbands on her left thigh. There was a silver chain that hung down into her shirt. Reika was the youngest of the three at 25 and at 5'3' in height with short brown hair and the same eyes as her sisters. She was in blue and black with only the Crescent Village headband on her forehead.

Chie Yui was a silent woman at the age of 26 and the height of 5'7'. She had short brown hair and matching eyes as she was dressed in green and white with a rose pendant hanging around her throat. Her Grass village headband was nowhere to be seen as the Crescent moon hung around her neck.

Amaya Akimi was 27 and at '5'11' in height with dark pink hair that she had placed black streaks through with red eyes. She was dressed in black and pink with a constant, sly look on her face as she proudly wore the Mist village headband with its slash-mark.

And finally, there was Tamae Kotone. She was 5'6' in height at the age of 24 with long black hair and stoic, grey eyes. She was wearing blue and yellow beneath a blue jacket, neither of the Village headbands could be seen on her.

"The Akatsuki, hmm?" Yuichi sighed and closed his eyes. "And to think…I was going to get away from Nagato and Konan, but it seems that the two of us just keep getting dragged back to them, don't we?"

Hisayo gave a smile, thinking about the two they hadn't seen in so long. "You don't think…that the two of them will be angry, do you?"

"Who cares what they think?" Amaya crossed her arms. "We'll be there for a mission, and nothing else. It's not going to be a time to 'make up and get to know one another again'."

"She's right," Reiko nodded her head. "I'm sure we'll learn everything about them when we meet their Leader, so where do we go to meet these Akatsuki?"

"May I ask," Kari's voice brought Azumi's attention to her. "Why the ten of us were chosen for this mission?"

"To be honest," Azumi began. "Because you are the ones that I trust the most. When you are capturing the Beasts, the Jinchuriki's will not come politely and they will lose their temper, resulting in a break out, I'm sure. You are the strongest and smartest of the group here…and the ones I trust most with making sure that the Tails will be kept safe."

"That's a good enough answer for me," Amaya grinned.

"Will we be able to return?" Reika asked in a soft voice.

"Of course," Azumi told her. "If you ever need to leave, even for just a moment, or you wish to no longer be a part of the Akatsuki, just come to me. Nothing bad will happen to you, I promise."

"How long will this mission be?" Chie finally decided to be heard.

"To be honest," Azumi sighed. "I'm not sure. Gathering all the Beasts could take time or no time at all. I don't expect this all the happen at once. I know that you will most likely need to train and get acquainted with the people you will be working with. Take your time. Rushing yourself will just result in horror. I trust that you can all make the right decisions without me being there to look over your shoulders." They all gave a smile.

"When do we leave?" Yukari asked.

"In the morning. I will give you directions to the Hideout. It south, towards the Mist Village…at the moment. I'm sure they all will be waiting on you." She began to leave the cave. "Go and get some rest. Pack what you wish to take with you. We'll be leaving at dawn."

_**~I see your dirty face  
>High behind your collar<br>What is done in vain  
>Truth is hard to swallow<br>So you pray to God  
>Justify the way you live a lie<br>Live a lie  
>Live a lie~<strong>_

**Azumi had given the others with orders, as well as met with Akemi and her new Squad. **Everyone understood everything. Even the three children. She didn't like the thought of children being involved in her things, but at the same time…

Kari was standing in her cave as she returned. She had been waiting on her.

"Is there somethin wrong, Kari?"

"I…" Kari shook her head, clearing it. "I don't want to leave you. I want to stay here with you and the others."

Azumi shook her own head. "The others are all leaving, Kari."

"So, you're going to be stuck here by yourself?"

"Only for a little while," She assured her niece. "I don't plan on just sitting here. I will be moving with you all as well. I won't be everywhere at once, but you'll see me when I close."

Kari lowered her head. "I would feel more comfortable if I were able to stay near to you at all times."

Azumi closed her eyes, placing a soft hand on Kari's head. "You are afraid of making a mistake and dying again, are you not?" The young woman nodded her head. "Kari, you-"

"I left you alone," Kari cut her off. "I went off on my own once and it resulted in death. I thought that I was strong enough to take care of myself but the bandits proved me wrong. I died. If you had not arrived in time and brought me back here and used your jutsu…I would still be dead." Kari lifted her head. "I know that with each soul, you can only bring them back once, and for me, you have already done that! I can't leave you, Mom! I-"

"Kari, listen to me. That was 60 years. Though your body no longer ages, everything else does. You are smarted and stronger than you were. You're not some child that will run off into a battle any longer without thinking it through. I trust that you can handle this, Kari. You need to believe in yourself that you can as well. I've believed in you for 80 years, child. It's time for you to believe in yourself."

Kari stared at the woman for a moment before gripping her in a hug. "If you need me, even for just a moment, come and find me. I will do all that I can to return."

Azumi grinned. "I know that you will, Kari. Be sure to keep the others inline as well, all right? I know that Amaya will most likely start her tricks the moment you arrive and I'm sure that Reina will explode at the slightest thing those men do."

Kari nodded. "I'll keep them all under control. So, tell me," She pulled back. "Just who is this Tobi man supposed to be?"

Azumi gazed at the carvings in the wall again before turning back to the other woman, a large smile on her face. "Madara Uchiha."

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	27. Goodbye :

And so, the ending to Imperfection has arrived. I feel so sad now. I want to start it from the beginning! I am thoroughly happy with how many of you stayed with me till the end. Here's a shout out to all of you! Especially

KaiaUchiha1

Yuti-Chan

Tia Minx

Jestie Uchiha

The four of you have been with me for a while so thank you so much!

As for what's going to happen next, I wish for all of your opinions. I was going to write Jiraiya's story next, but I've decided to give it to my reviewers. Who's story would you like to see next? I shall announce over the weekend who will be next off of who gets the most votes.

I hope to see you all again soon in another of my stories.

XOXO,

HiddenXEmotion


	28. Something Special

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**Here's just a little something special!**

**Valentine's Day**

"**Auntie Azi! Wake up! Everyone's here!"**

Azumi rolled over, groaning as she glanced at her clock. "It's 4 in the morning, Kari." She looked at the woman standing over her. "Just take them to their rooms."

"Come on, Auntie! They all want to meet you! Don't you want to meet them?"

"No." Azumi tried to pull the covers over her head but Kari yanked them away.

"Get up! Now, Auntie!"

Azumi groaned as she pushed herself to her knees. "You haven't grown up at all." She rubbed her eyes. "You may be over 80 years old but you still act like your five sometimes."

"You were the one that said come and get you when they arrived." The woman replied.

"I didn't think that it would be as 4 in the morning!" Azumi yelled as she began to pull her clothes on. "What took you all so long, anyway?"

"Uh…well…there were a few setbacks."

Azumi paused and turned to the other woman. "Like what?"

"Well, the moment they all saw eachother…fights broke out."

Azumi gave a small smile. "How bad?"

"Oh, nothing TOO bad. There were some explosions and snakes and poisons and a few other things flung around and a head was cut off but in the end we ladies put a stop to it."

"You cut off a head?" Azumi raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Kari hung hers. "But he STILL wouldn't shut up. So one of us got some dog poo, another got the tape and just to say, he literally spoke shit of us." She noticed Azumi's look. "What?"

Azumi thought a moment. "The head, was still talking?"

Kari shrugged. "It is interesting to see I'm sure. Anyways, come on. You'll understand everything in a moment," She then sighed. "If you hurry up and follow me."

"All right, shall we go?" Azumi asked, pulling her hair out of her face. The two of them walked down the hall towards the large dining room and about halfway there, loud voices could be heard.

"YOU *&^$%! STOP THIS NOW OR I SWEAR UPON JASHIN'S HEAD THAT I WILL MURDER YOU ALL!" A male voice screamed.

"Oh, shut up and be a good volleyball." A female voice was laughing. Azumi slapped a hand to her face. She knew that voice anywhere. ~Reiko, why?~

"Reiko! You're supposed to be on my side!" The male voice continued as sounds of blows happened. The voice let out a groan as more hits were landed.

"Well, I was until you tried to sacrifice me to your fake god."

"But that should be an honor! You-wait a sec! JASHIN IS NOT FAKE! SAY THAT AGAIN AND I WILL RIP OUT YOUR SOUL!"

"Yeah that would be a lot more intimidating if you had a body attached to that head of yours. Or even a hand so you wouldn't have to move yourself around with your tongue." She heard Hisayo laugh.

"Yeah, we already have a freak who likes to do shit with his tongue," They heard Tamae comment as another blow landed on their 'volleyball'. "Seriously, that's just creepy. What does Kari see in that guy, anyway?"

"I am sitting right here, you know," A male voice came from the other side of the room.

"Yeah, who cares." Tamae replied.

"It's no worse than Chiyo and her frogman, anyway." Yukari's voice grunted from the other side of the door.

"Like you can talk," Amaya gave a laugh. "Your dude's got tentacles flowing out of him. Talk about Japanese hentai fantasies."

"Shut the fuck up!" Yukari screamed. "Your guys a fucking shark so you ain't got no room to talk!"

There was a pause for a moment. "Touche', but Chie's got the worse of us all. Her guy's a fucking plant."

"Hey," Chie's soft voice came up. "Don't be mean."

"Or what?" Amaya demanded.

"_What was that_?" A deep voice asked. "**I think we can have dinner now, what do you think**?" The second voice was deeper. "_I wouldn't mind eating. _**Yes, let's.**"

"Hey now," Yuichi's voice decided to join the fray. "Don't make me pull out the weed killer." The response to that was a hiss like a cat and laughter from the women.

"We're surrounded by idiots." A new, deep male voice sighed as another gave a laugh.

Azumi couldn't stand it anymore and pushed the door open. The dining room held nineteen people. Nine of them were sitting around the large table, their faces covered in shadows with their eyes glowing as they watched the nine others towards the door. There was a large, paper net set up as the Ten Crescent Villagers were playing volleyball with a head. Every one of them were wearing a long, black cloak with red clouds splattered across it. She couldn't see anything but their eyes and the outlines of their hair due to the shadows.

Everyone turned to the door and Yuichi gave out a scream and covered his chest like he had just come out of the shower. Azumi watched with a blank face as a severed head with white hair flew through the air and smacked into Yuichi's face. The head bit down on the man's ear and he began to run around the room, trying to yank it off.

"I'm sorry!" Hisayo frowned, hanging her head. "I didn't mean to hit you with the spike, Yuichi!"

"Hey Pein," Kari decided to join in. "I think someone's finally challenging your title for having the weirdest piercings."

Things were silent for a moment. "Trust me," Hisayo decided to say. "He's still got the weirdest."

"What make you say that?" Amaya asked.

"I've seen him without his clothes on." Every head turned to look at the man at the head of the table. He gave a cough quietly. "Anyways," Hisayo turned her head to the door. "Azumi, I'm sorry for having to wake you up."

"It's fine." Azumi replied, closing her eyes as she moved into the room.

"Will somebody get this freak off of me!" Yuichi screamed.

"All right," Reika gave a small smile before standing up from her chair. She walked towards the body behind the table that was lying on the ground, pulled her leg back, and kicked it between the legs. Every man in room whinced as the head made a moan before letting go of Yuichi's ear and fell to the ground.

"Just leave him there for now," Reika told her sister. "He'll wake up again soon."

Shaking her head, Azumi sat down at the end of the table and the ones that had been around the net moved to the table.

Hisayo took a seat to the left of the man with spikey hair at the head of the table, his purple eyes intent as he glared down the table at Azumi. The seat beside the only female in the shadows, with a pair of grey eyes, was taken by Yuichi as he nursed his ear. Kari took a place by a man with snake-like Amber eyes and long hair. Reina's seat was beside a man with brown eyes and short hair. Reiko took the seat beside the empty chair which made Azumi sure that that was where the headless man would sit later. Reika sat beside another long-haired figure, only one eye of blue to be seen. Yukari's spot was beside a large man with bright green eyes. Amaya dropped down beside a tall man, his eyes small and white. Tamae slid up beside another man, his onyx eyes read-less as he just stared at the woman at the end of the table while Chie took a place beside…whatever that thing was with yellow eyes.

"So, you are the Akatsuki?" Azumi glanced at them all.

"Was," the Man beside Amaya corrected her. "Orochimaru and his little girlfriend over there ran off a little while ago."

"Shut up, fish-breath." Amaya elbowed the man beside her in his ribs. He gave a groan.

"Please don't," Kari rubbed her eyes. "Not here, Amaya." The woman clicked her tongue and crossed her arms.

"Yeah, speaking of which, why isn't he dead yet?" Yuichi asked.

"Well, if that's the case, you would be dead too, seeming as how you went with them." Tamae told the man.

Yuichi frowned and went to reply but Azumi cut them all off. "Settle down. A fight will not break out here, understand?" The ones that knew Azumi nodded and Amaya folded her arms behind her head.

"So, the Akatsuki," She glanced over the shadowed faces again. "I can now put faces to the names that I have. You," she pointed at the man at the head of the table. "At the moment you go by the name of Pein. You and the woman beside you, Konan, were involved with Hisayo and Yuichi when they were children." Azumi's finger moved down the line. "You have to be Zetsu, a childhood friend of Chie's. You, you're Itachi Uchiha," She gave a small smile. "I haven't seen an Uchiha in a long time. We'll have to talk later." She continued. "You, Deidara, correct? Please refrain from blowing up anything here." She was greeted by laughter. "Now you are…Sasori of the Red Sand?" She pointed to the one beside Reina. "The Puppet Master, right?"

"That's right." The man answered her.

Yuichi began to laugh and they all glanced at him. "What's so funny?" Tamae asked him.

"Oh, nothing really I'm just sure that when he was younger him and one of his puppets just got a little too friendly." Everyone stared at him before they all let out laugh; everyone but Sasori, that is.

"Yeah, let's just hope that it wasn't his mother's." Yukari couldn't help but join in.

"That's the good news. It wasn't his mother. The bad news is…it was his fathers."

"Come here puppet boy!" A deep voice came from behind them all.

Everyone looked at Sasori as Reina tried her hardest not to laugh beside him. "It's not true, is it?"

"NO IT'S NOT TRUE!" He roared. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

"Nah, ah, ah," Yuichi wagged a finger. "Azumi said you couldn't, remember?"

Azumi pulled out a smirk. "Did I? I don't think I remember saying that." She watched, sure that Sasori sent her a smirk when he looked at her, as the Puppet Master got up and began to chase Yuichi around the room. She sighed and continued on. "I take it that the man on the floor was…is Hidan. He's the Jashinist you told me about, right Kari?"

"Yep." Her niece nodded.

"And the one beside you is Orochimaru," She locked eyes with him. "You were part of the Three Sannin with Jiraiya and Tsunade, were you not? This also means that you know Chiyu."

"The names ring a bell." The man replied with a smirk.

Azumi did not find it funny. "Don't test me, Orochimaru. I do not look forward to having you trying to take anyone here and making them your new body. You're _trying _to obtain immortality. I _have _immortality. Hurt anyone here and I will make the rest of the life you have miserable and in a test tube like everything else is in your hideout." Orochimaru fell silent as Kari slapped a hand over her face and the others all snickered. "And you," She turned to the man beside Yukari. "Kakuzu. I didn't learn your name all those years ago, but believe me, I am surprised that you're still alive."

The man gave a smirk behind his mask. "The same goes here. I still owe you for that."

"Keep Yukari safe," Azumi told him. "That's all that I ask." She turned to the last man beside Amaya. "And that means you are Kisame Hoshigaki." She took a breath. "When Satomi told me that you looked like a shark, I thought she was trying to pull a joke on me. I see that she was telling the truth."

The man gave a snort. "Satomi? As in Satomi Gen?"

"Yes. You were once partners with her and Zabuza Momochi, were you not?"

"Yeah, I was. Zabuza and I became one of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist. Satomi used to tease us, talking about 'compensation' or whatever it was." He grinned. "Tell me, how have the two of them been?"

Azumi gave a small smile. "They're fine. Satomi and Fumiko were actually here a little while ago."

"Fumiko?" Kisame asked, leaning forward. "Who's that? Did the two of them finally get tired of arguing and tie the knot with a child?"

Azumi gave a laugh. "It's a long story."

"Ha," Kisame grinned. "We'll be here for a couple of days. I wanna here it all."

**And so, there's a little something special for you guys. A little early for Valentine's Day, but still. I loved the ending for this, and I know that the guys were out of Character but I wanted to make it funny.**

**Now, the winner of the Vote was Zabuza Momochi so his story will begin next weekend. I've started writing it so keep your eyes open for it, all right guys? **

**Hope to see you there!**

**Really quick, I would appreciate it if you guys went to my profile and gave your vote on my poll. It would really help and I would love you guys for the rest of eternity if you did so, :)**

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think :)**


	29. It's Alive!

All right, my fans. Aquarius's first chapter is up! I hope you enjoy it!


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